


The Holy Grail Grand Melee

by Grimalkenkid



Category: Fate/Prototype Fragments of Sky Silver, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Ensemble Cast, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Revenge, Romance, seriously there are a lot of original characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-05-16 08:14:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14807625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimalkenkid/pseuds/Grimalkenkid
Summary: Jekyll didn't expect a second chance to save Tatsumi, but that's what he got. Now, he just needs to figure out how he can beat 29 other Servants before they kill him.He might need a little help.





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This began purely as a self-indulgent idea for how to reunite Jekyll with Tatsumi. Then, like all my ideas, it spun out of control. This fic probably won't be a continuous narrative, as I seem to have trouble with those kinds of fics, so the Grand Melee will most likely take that form of snippets from the overall story. They may or may not be in order.
> 
> Anyway, hope y'all like it!

Tatsumi sat on the floor of his small apartment, twirling the empty fountain pen in his fingers. His grandfather’s notebook made no sense. Parts of it just described the horrors and banality of war, but others spoke of a ritual, one used to summon great heroes and villains. If either section was on its own, the young man would’ve assumed those fanciful parts were merely that: flights of fancy. But the parts about a ritual were written side by side with those that he knew were true. Almost like they too were real.

“There’s no way,” Tatsumi whispered to himself. “It’s ridiculous.”

That should’ve been the end of it, and yet a part of him was curious. There was an incantation, written clearly among the scribbles of arcane circles and unfathomable diagrams. Idly, Tatsumi began to recite it, speaking the words softly under his breath.

“Heed my words, my will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny…” The lines of the ancient spell rolled off his tongue, like they’d been waiting ages just for someone to utter them. Still clutching that old pen, Tatsumi finished the incantation, “... Seventh heaven clad, and the great words of power, come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of Scales.”

A moment of silence passed, during which Tatsumi felt quite silly. It didn’t last.

A sharp pain blossomed across the back of his right hand. Tatsumi yelped and reeled back, staring in disbelief as a glowing red symbol drew itself on his skin. As quickly as the pain arrived, it left, yet that was soon the least of his worries.

Scrambling to his feet, Tatsumi’s jaw dropped as an intricate circle manifested on the living room floor. Writing ringed the lines in a language he couldn’t understand, and the entirety of it appeared to be made of blue light. Light that grew brighter with each second until Tatsumi had to throw his arms over his eyes to shield them.

 _This is how I die,_ the young man thought, cursing his own curiosity and carelessness. _What on Earth were you doing, Grandfather? What is this?_

The faint glow that filtered through his eyelids ceased with a whoosh. Tatsumi felt a gentle wave of power buffet him, almost calming in how it warmed his body. With the caution he wished he’d used earlier, Tatsumi peeked out from behind his arms at whatever he had just unleashed.

He expected a demon. Or a monster. Some horrid creation that would tear this world asunder.

What he saw was a man. A smartly dressed man, with blonde hair, whose coat casually hung off his shoulders. Upon seeing Tatsumi before him, the stranger bowed deeply. In his confusion, Tatsumi let his arms drop to his sides, eyebrows furrowed.

“Be at ease. I mean you no harm,” the man said, straightening back to his full height. “I am a Servant. Berserker. May I ask, are you my mas…” He trailed off as he met Tatsumi’s gaze. The gentle smile he wore vanished as his eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, yet several tense moments passed before he finally said, “Tatsumi?”

* * * * * * * * * *

Jekyll never expected to be summoned again. After the last Holy Grail War, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to be summoned. He was tired of fighting, of death and destruction. Yet when the call of a Command Spell pulled him from his blissful non-existence in the Throne of Heroes, Jekyll answered, stepping once more into the world and all its problems.

The good doctor emerged into a small room, barely large enough for someone to maneuver around the couch at its center. A young man, presumably the one who summoned him, stood before the good doctor, arms across his face as if shielding it.

Jekyll smiled softly. Sad though it was, he was used to unprepared masters. A small upturn of the lips and some kind words usually did the trick of calming them down.

“Be at ease,” the doctor said, bowing with a bit more grandeur than was strictly necessary. “I mean you no harm. I am a Servant. Berserker.” Slowly, so as not to alarm his new master, Jekyll straightened back up. “May I ask, are you my mas…”

The young man had finally lowered his arms, allowing Jekyll to see his face for the first time. It was a face he knew well, one he had once mourned before he lost himself to Hyde’s madness. He was a bit older than Jekyll remembered, a bit sharper in his features, but the good doctor would recognize those eyes anywhere.

There was just one problem. Tatsumi Kitano died during the last Grail War. The man before him now couldn’t possibly be Tatsumi.

Before he could think about his actions, Jekyll took a step forward, breathing a question, “Tatsumi?”

The young man immediately tensed up, raising his hands in front of himself. “Wh-who are you?” he stammered. “H-how do you know my name?”

“I…” Jekyll didn’t know how to answer. He had uttered the name without thinking. He might be able to convince the young man that it was simply a lucky guess, but as he felt the familiar sensation of the contract being formed, the good doctor realized that something far more bizarre was happening. Jekyll felt this new master’s mana flow through him. Tatsumi’s mana. Every mage left their own unique mark on their magical energy, and this was undeniably the same. _He is Tatsumi. How is that even possible?_ the good doctor thought, consciously taking a few steps back so as not to frighten the young man further. _But… if by some miracle this is the same person… I can’t just tell him the truth. Not now._

Jekyll cleared his throat and did his best to put on a reassuring smile. Whatever stars had aligned to allow this meeting, they didn’t help calm his master. “I apologize,” the doctor said. “You have a slight resemblance to someone I once knew. It’s quite the coincidence that you share the same name, as well. As for who I am-” He paused for a moment, pondering where best to start. “-I am a Servant, a Heroic Spirit summoned for the purpose of fighting in the Holy Grail War. My class is Berserker, but my true name is Henry Jekyll.” A slight tingle at the back of his mind reminded him that that wasn’t his only name. “And… Edward Hyde.”

Tatsumi looked paler by the second, and he began to sway a bit. “What does that mean? What does any of that mean?” He took a small step forward, and Jekyll was only mildly surprised to see him wobble unsteadily. “You’re a servant? There’s a war going on? I’m just… I’m just in college. I don’t even have a job yet. What is going on?!”

The smile fell from Jekyll’s face. Tatsumi’s confusion was understandable, and he fully expected it, but the summoning was beginning to take its toll. Gesturing to the couch, Jekyll suggested, “Perhaps you could sit down, Master. There is quite a lot to explain if you haven’t already been told.”

“No!” the young man huffed. “I’m not… I’m not sitting. I… I want… answers… and…” His voice trailed off as his eyes rolled shut, and he began to fall.

Jekyll dashed forward to catch Tatsumi before he could faceplant in the carpet. “I’ll explain everything,” he whispered as he scooped the young man into his arms. “But right now, rest. Your body must not be used to losing so much mana.”

After he laid Tatsumi on the couch, Jekyll spent a little time exploring his new master’s apartment. It would help them survive this new Grail War if he knew what they had to work with.

* * * * * * * * * *

The soft rustle of turning pages roused Tatsumi from slumber. As his mind rebooted, the young man turned over, pulling the blanket tighter around him. It was nice and warm and comfortable, and Tatsumi really didn’t want to get up. _Can’t I just skip class today?_ he pondered in his semi-conscious state. _It’s not that important._

Someone turned another page, and Tatsumi wondered what his companion was reading.

_Wait… I don’t have roommates. Who else is in my house?_

The young man bolted up, looking wildly about the room. Everything was where he’d left it, except for the blonde-haired man sitting in one of the spare folding chairs.

The man looked up at the sudden movement and smiled kindly. “Are you feeling better?”

“Who…” Tatsumi began to ask, but the memories of just before he’d fainted popped into the front of his mind. The man was Jekyll, of _Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde_ fame. At least, presumably. Despite how the doctor had entered the apartment, Tatsumi wasn’t convinced that Jekyll was the _real_ Doctor Jekyll. “Jekyll. Right. Um, why are you here again?”

“All in good time,” the doctor said, setting his book to the side and getting up. He picked up a glass of water and offered it to the bewildered young man.

Tatsumi realized, with more than a bit of confusion, that the book Jekyll was reading was actually one of Tatsumi’s bird-watching guides. It felt odd for a stranger to be flipping through one of his favorite books, but Jekyll seemed to have treated it with care. At least, from what Tatsumi could see.

The doctor must’ve noticed how his eyes locked onto the cover, and he chuckled slightly. “I hope you don’t mind. I was getting a little bored merely waiting for you to wake up. I wasn’t much of a bird-watcher during my life, but that book is quite the enjoyable read.”

Tatsumi shook his head and took the glass. The part of him that took the lessons on stranger danger was still suspicious of this “Jekyll,” but everything about his demeanor comforted Tatsumi. It reminded him of how, as a child, he always felt safer when the family dog came to his side. Offhandedly, he also realized that it must’ve been Jekyll who laid him on the couch and retrieved a blanket for him.

The young man took a few sips of water, gathering his frazzled thoughts as much as possible. As Jekyll returned to his seat, Tatsumi managed to say, “So, you’ll explain what’s going on?”

“Of course.”

“Then… could you start at the beginning. What just happened?”

The next few hours were filled with a torrent of questions and answers that seemed to bring up more questions. Jekyll explained the entirety of the Holy Grail War to Tatsumi with a patience that would put most of his professors to shame. All throughout, the red Command Spells on his hand itched, a powerful reminder that something far greater than a mere magic ritual had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and critiques are greatly appreciated, as always!


	2. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With introductions out of the way, our heroes begin the Holy Grail War.

“Tatsumi?”

Jekyll broke the silence that settled over them once his explanation was finished. He couldn’t tell what was running through the young man’s mind as he worried at his bottom lip, and the berserker wanted at least some confirmation that Tatsumi understood.

After another brief pause, the young man simply asked, “Why me?” His eyes darted back up to meet Jekyll’s gaze. “I’m not even a good mage. I barely know how to use this.” Tatsumi brought a hand up to his right eye, the Mystic Eye he inherited from his grandfather’s side. “I don’t even know what I’d wish for if we won.”

Jekyll shrugged. He didn’t understand the intricacies of how the Holy Grail chose its participants. In all honesty, it may have been completely random. He wasn’t about to admit that to Tatsumi, though. The young man had enough to worry about.

“I’m unsure how the Grail chooses its champions,” the berserker said. “I’m merely here to protect and serve you. However, the fact that you were able to summon me proves that you have more ability than you think.”

“That’s not the problem!” Tatsumi nearly shouted, slamming his hands on his legs.

Jekyll flinched back in his seat. He never did well with yelling. It took all he had just to deal with Hyde screaming in his head. He was incredibly grateful that his less-savory side had yet to begin berating him. That would happen eventually.

“S-sorry,” Tatsumi said as he lowered his voice and hung his head. “Guess I’m on edge. I just… don’t want to hurt anyone.”

A pant of guilt ripped through Jekyll’s chest. Words spoken under a starry sky echoed in his mind, along with his own screams as his former master died in Assassin’s arms.  _ This time will be different, _ the berserker thought.  _ I will not allow Tatsumi to perish. Not this time. _

“I understand,” Jekyll said aloud. He leaned forward and rested his hand on Tatsumi’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “You needn’t participate if you don’t want to. You may dissolve our contract at any time and relinquish your Command Spells to the church. That will signal that you have officially withdrawn from the Holy Grail War and are once again a mere civilian.”

The young man slowly looked back up. “Just… give up? Just like that?”

Jekyll nodded. “Essentially, yes.” The berserker took a deep breath. Despite all of Tatsumi’s reservations, Jekyll had a feeling he knew how this conversation would end. If the young man truly was the Tatsumi he knew, then he wouldn’t be able to look away from the conflict. “However, I feel I must mention that being a civilian does not mean you will be unaffected by the War. Some Servants may not abide by the rules and allow their fights to cause injury or damage to those not involved. As a civilian, you wouldn’t be obligated to have a hand in the fighting, but…” The berserker’s throat nearly choked up at what he said next. “But I wouldn’t be able to protect you from becoming… collateral.”

Tatsumi blinked rapidly, letting the words sink in. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows, as if focused on the challenge before him, and he straightened up. “I don’t think I can do that,” the young man said. “I can’t just sit by while a bunch of power-hungry mages run around. We have to stop them before they hurt someone!”

With a swiftness born of enthusiasm, Tatsumi lunged to his feet, grasping Jekyll’s hands in his own. The berserker felt the barest hint of warmth color his cheeks at the gesture, but Tatsumi either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“Will you help me?” the young man pleaded. “I know it’s not what you’re supposed to do, but-”

“Of course,” Jekyll couldn’t help but smile. With every passing second, he grew more sure that his new master was indeed the Tatsumi he had served in the previous Grail War. The impossibilities of such a thing no longer mattered; Tatsumi was alive, and Jekyll had another chance to make sure he continued to be so. “Yours is a goal worth pursuing, and so I will follow… So long as you will it, at least.”

“Thank you!” Tatsumi’s eyes lit up, his right eye glowing faintly with uncontrolled mana. “So, uh… what now?”

* * * * * * * * * *

For the third time that day, Tatsumi cursed the weather. The sun was still shining and had been ever since morning, but a sudden downpour came out of nowhere. There weren’t even any clouds above them. A rainshower smack dab in the middle of a sunny day.

Tatsumi wouldn’t have minded too terribly much if he hadn’t been snooping around an abandoned construction site when it began. Despite the sun’s rays, the heavy rain soaked him right to the bone. The young man rubbed his arms to keep the circulation going as he looked around for their target.

The first step in any battle was to find out everything one could about one’s enemy. Since Tatsumi didn’t have an extensive network of mages and informants to provide details on the other combatants, their options were limited on the information-gathering front. The most direct course of action was simply to investigate any location they sensed a stronger-than-normal magical reaction from. Hence the snooping around.

“Should we take shelter until the storm passes?” Jekyll piped up from the young man’s side. “I don’t think many people would be out in this weather.”

Tatsumi shook his head. After all his talk of protecting civilians from these mages’ shenanigans, he didn’t want to turn tail at the first sign of a setback. Especially not in front of Jekyll. “I’m fine,” Tatsumi said, unable to keep the shiver completely out of his voice. “It’s just a little water. From what my friends at college have said, this is kind of normal for Walden Springs.” Continuing their walk through the site, he quickly changed the subject. “So, you sensed another Servant over here, right? I don’t see anyone.”

The berserker raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Instead, he scanned their surroundings, casting his eyes over the skeletal structure of the half-built building before them. “I sensed one earlier, but they may have moved on by now,” he said simply. “Or they may be concealing their presence. Assassins are particularly good at doing that. Remain alert.”

Tatsumi’s nod quickly morphed into a full-body shiver, and he rubbed his arms more vigorously. He hoped that would be enough to keep him as alert as he needed to be.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t wait out the storm?” Jekyll insisted, laying a hand on Tatsumi’s shoulder. “You mustn’t push yourself too much. There’s no sense getting yourself sick on the first day of the War. We’ve at least twenty-five more Servants to defeat before this ordeal is over, and those are just the ones I can sense. Please don’t burn yourself out this soon.”

The young man nodded but continued walking along the hard-packed ground. A tug of embarrassment pulled at his stomach. He knew Jekyll was right; there was zero reason to keep investigating right then. But he really, really wanted to impress the berserker. Jekyll had shown such faith in the young man from the start. Tatsumi wanted to do everything he could to prove that trust wasn’t misplaced. He focused on the construction site, trying to spy anything out of the ordinary for them to look into.  _ Probably should’ve brought my jacket, _ he thought.

A gentle sigh from the berserker was all the warning he got before Tatsumi felt Jekyll place his coat over the young man’s shoulders. Tatsumi snapped his head to look at the berserker, eyes wide in confusion. Giving one’s coat to someone else was generally something only lovers did as a gesture of affection. Yet Jekyll hadn’t so much as hesitated. He merely smiled and inclined his head at Tatsumi’s unspoken question.

“The rain doesn’t bother me,” the berserker said softly. “One of the few benefits of being a Servant, I suppose.” His smile fell a bit as he gave Tatsumi a once-over, now with the gray and blue coat draped across his shoulders. “It’s a bit wet already, but it’s better than nothing. I hope you don’t mind.”

Tatsumi immediately shook his head and pulled the coat closer around himself. Jekyll was correct; rain had already begun soaking through in places, but it was marginally warmer than leaving his arms exposed to the elements.  _ I’ll definitely grab my jacket next time. _

They continued in comfortable silence for a few more minutes before Jekyll firmly grabbed Tatsumi’s shoulder, stepping in front of the young man as he cast his eyes upward. Tatsumi followed the berserker’s gaze, the sudden tension and unease making sense as he saw what his servant had.

At the highest point that had been built, a man crouched on the empty rafters, his long, black coat billowing ever so slightly in the wind. Sharp pauldrons sat on his shoulders, framing a head of white hair. Tatsumi didn’t know how they hadn’t seen him earlier, but from his entire look and demeanor, the young man felt that this was no ordinary person. That, and he was pretty obviously not wearing any safety gear.

Jekyll tried to gently push Tatsumi behind a wall and out of the white-haired man’s line of sight before he could spy them, but it was already too late. The man turned towards the pair and stood with ease. Tatsumi thought he almost looked cool like that… before a large sword manifested in his hand, and he leapt down through the rafters, landing without a sound in front of Jekyll.

The berserker pulled a curved knife out, seemingly from nowhere, and brandished it at the newcomer. “Assassin, I presume?”

A smile spread across the man’s face, unsettling in how kind it looked. “Oui,” he cooed. “I should thank you. I was wondering who I should seek out first, and who should wander right past but a fresh-faced Master and his Servant.” Raising his sword in an elegant mirror of Jekyll’s own stance, Assassin sighed. “It’s wonderful, how you’ve arrived just after I’ve had my fill. Come. The War’s begun. Now, let me send you to Heaven. It will be painless. I promise.”


	3. Allies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jekyll gets in over his head with Assassin. Thankfully, he's not the only hero on the block.

The smell of blood filled the deserted alleyway. Not that surprising, as three bodies were carefully lined up along the wall, the tarp draped over them unable to staunch the blood flow. Issun didn’t feel like uncovering them, but even he could see that none of the corpses still had their heads. Where their heads had gone… the assassin really didn’t want to know.

“So… find anything? I don’t wanna be here when the fuzz comes calling.”

Issun shook his head, wide-brimmed straw hat bouncing against his shoulders. “Not yet, Master,” he said, turning back to the street. “But it’s definitely a Servant’s work. They’ve been completely drained of their mana.”

Stepping back onto the street, Issun crossed his arms and looked at his master. Jean Koyuki could’ve been a bodybuilder if she had the mindset for it. As it were, she was simply a tall, well-muscled woman and let it show by wearing tank tops and khaki shorts. She kept her long, black hair tied in a loose ponytail, her entire demeanor screaming “don’t know, don’t care.” Issun couldn’t have asked for a better master.

Jean folded her arms and growled at nothing in particular as the small assassin went to her side. “It’s been… what? Two days since this whole shebang started? Can’t the crazies at least wait until the end of the week?”

“I know, right?” Issun exclaimed. “And with the church watching everything going on here, you’d think whoever did this would be just a little bit more cautious.”

Rage boiled in his chest like a kettle in a bonfire. Servants were supposed to be heroes, people whose legends transcended time to join the Throne of Heroes. Yet for all their supposed heroic-ness, the Grail allowed masters to summon those who would stoop to such heinous acts as murder. And for no better reason than to obtain mana. There were better ways of getting magical energy which didn’t involve chopping someone’s head off.

“Doesn’t matter now,” Jean said, snapping Issun back to the conversation. She looked around, trying to decide where to go next. “We’ll find this Servant and send them back to the fucking pits of heck in a bodybag. Can you find where they went?”

Issun nodded and puffed out his chest. “What kind of question is that? I can follow any trail, no matter how small.” He whirled around, adding a flourish for dramatic effect. After all, what was the point in wearing a cape if one didn’t use it? “I cannot sense them, but the signs of their passage are obvious. Come! Let us mete out justice upon this abomination of life! Away!”

Pulling his hat up, Issun leapt forward, hurtling towards what looked to be an abandoned construction site with Jean running shortly behind.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jekyll was no fighter. In life, the closest he got to “fighting” were his battles with Hyde for control of their body, and Hyde never used a giant sword for those. Within the first few exchanges, the berserker knew he wouldn’t be able to beat this white-haired assassin. Not without help.

Jekyll flung his dagger over his head to block an incoming strike from Assassin, taking the momentary lapse in momentum to glance at his master. Tatsumi hid behind a partial wall once the battle began, but it would be a poor shield against a sword. The berserker grit his teeth and pushed back against the blade, causing the white-haired assassin to stumble. Jekyll rushed forward into the opening, hoping to land at least one good strike as himself before he was forced to use… “that.”

The blade glanced off Assassin’s shoulder, drawing the slightest amount of blood. Jekyll allowed himself a small smile at that splash of red. It proved that he wasn’t completely useless in a fight. Just mostly useless.

The white-haired assassin swung his sword down, but Jekyll fell back before it could connect. Glancing at his shoulder, Assassin gave his own smirk. “It seems that first blood is yours. How unfortunate for you, though, that this duel is to the death.”

With the elegance of a trained swordsman, the assassin tightened his stance, bringing the sword perpendicular to his hip. Jekyll knew the strike that would be coming and prepared to dodge. He wasn’t disappointed, as Assassin dashed forward exactly like the berserker thought he would. Jekyll easily stepped out of the way of the sword.

However, it was merely a feint. The instant Jekyll moved to avoid the blade, Assassin tilted his body, ramming his shoulder into the berserker’s chest. He immediately followed it up with an elbow to Jekyll’s gut, knocking the wind out of him as he staggered back and dropped his knife. Jekyll could feel Hyde raging in the back of their mind, wordlessly shouting about how he never would have fallen for such an obvious bluff. And Jekyll was tempted to agree, although that could’ve just been a side effect of how his head was spinning.

“Farewell, nameless servant,” Assassin purred, winding up for another strike.

Tatsumi cried out, panic lacing his voice, “Berserker!”

Jekyll cursed himself for being so careless. There wasn’t enough time to use his Noble Phantasm. He should’ve let Hyde out immediately, allowed the crazy murderer to do what he did best. But his pride urged him to try protecting their master himself. And now, Jekyll was going to fall, leaving Tatsumi helpless.  _ How could I be so stupid?  _ he thought in what he believed to be his final moments.

The blow never came.

Shaking his head, Jekyll reoriented himself. And his jaw dropped at what he saw.

The white-haired assassin had stopped mid-strike, not without reason either. Hundreds of thin, luminous spikes hovered in the air, surrounding him mere inches from his body. Had he continued his attack, Assassin would’ve run right into at least half of them.

“What in the…?” Tatsumi breathed.

Jekyll simply shook his head, never taking his eyes off the white-haired assassin. “It wasn’t me.”

“Correct!” A high-pitched, childlike voice proclaimed from above. “Now, you evildoers will pay for your crimes!”

Both the assassin and berserker whipped their heads to see who had spoken. Up in the rafters, not too far from where Assassin had been perched before their battle, was another Servant. At least, Jekyll thought he was a Servant. The newcomer appeared to be a young man of East Asian descent. He wore a sleeveless tunic that ended just below his knees, and a straw hat kept the rain off his black hair. He had a short cape on, which looked very much like it had been woven from oversized leaves and grass. A sword hung from his hip, although Jekyll didn’t realize that was what it was at first since it looked like someone had enlarged a common sewing needle.

“Crimes?” the berserker said helplessly. “What… crimes? What are you talking about?”

“Murder!” the newcomer spat, hands on his hips. “The most heinous of crimes! I’m ashamed to share the title of Heroic Spirit with beings so foul.” With a flourish, he drew his sword and pointed it at the two combatants. “I, Issun-Boshi, will not stand for it!”

Jekyll blinked. Nothing Issun said made sense. Not his accusations, not his mentions of murder, not even how he revealed his true name without hesitation. The berserker stared blankly at the newcomer and said, “I… have no idea what you’re talking about. Someone was killed?”

Issun tilted his head and hopped down from the rafters, bouncing a few times when he hit the ground. With a raised eyebrow, he looked Jekyll over before definitively pointing his sword at the white-haired assassin. “Okay, so…” the short man said, motioning at the berserker with his head. “This one pretty obviously doesn’t know what happened, but you,” Issun returned his gaze to Assassin, “are smiling. What have you to say, villain?”

The white-haired assassin was indeed smiling. Softly and without malice, but it was a smile nonetheless. “I say that you are correct. About everything save the title you use for me.” A golden glow began at Assassin’s feet as he spoke, the telltale sign of a Servant going into spirit form. Jekyll brought his fists up, unsure if he was truly retreating or if this was merely another feint. Assassin chuckled at the berserker’s caution. “I know when I’m outmatched. But the War’s just begun, so we shall see each other again. Farewell for now, Berserker.”

With that, the white-haired assassin disappeared completely, retreating in the incorporeal safety of his spirit form. Issun dismissed the luminous needles with a swish of his sword, but Jekyll barely noticed. As soon as Assassin was out of sight, the berserker turned on his heel and practically ran to his master’s side.

* * * * * * * * * *

Tatsumi had stepped out from behind his makeshift cover since the fighting stopped. It couldn’t have taken more than a few minutes, but to the young man, those minutes felt like hours. The white-haired man - Assassin, as Jekyll called him - didn’t look like he was even trying that hard, yet he’d gotten into the perfect position to end the berserker’s short existence. Tatsumi also had a gut feeling that if Jekyll had fallen, Assassin wouldn’t have hesitated to kill him as well. The young man didn’t know what stroke of luck brought Issun to that particular construction site, but he wasn’t about to question it.

“Are you alright?” Jekyll asked quickly, as if he couldn’t get the words out fast enough. The berserker gently gripped Tatsumi’s shoulders as he searched the young man’s eyes for any sign of distress, stating, “You’re shaking.”

Tatsumi shook his head and pulled the berserker’s coat tighter around himself. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just… just a bit cold. More importantly, are  _ you _ okay?”

Jekyll’s wide eyes gave way to a relieved smile. “Yes. I was staggered, but Assassin didn’t actually injure me.”

The sound of a throat being cleared startled them both. Taking his eyes off the berserker, Tatsumi saw Issun rocking on his heels.

Issun-Boshi, the One-Inch Boy. A hero, full of bluster and courage, hailing from Japan. Tatsumi had heard the stories several times growing up. Even had the short man not loudly declared who he was, Tatsumi felt he would know just from his proud bearing and needle-like sword.

“So…” Issun said. “Do I get a ‘thank you?’ I  _ did _ just save your lives.”

“Oh, right,” Tatsumi said, inclining his head to the short man. “Thanks.”

Jekyll followed suit, though a bit more hesitantly. “Thank you,” he said, his words entirely too stiff to be entirely genuine. “But, while I’m grateful you chose to intervene, I’m baffled as to why you did so. As Servants, we are naturally enemies. Why save someone you will likely be at odds with later?”

Tatsumi blinked at the berserker’s words. Jekyll was right; Issun had everything to gain simply by letting Jekyll and Assassin wear each other out. The young man glanced between Jekyll’s suspicious gaze and Issun’s blank face, searching for some explanation that made sense.

“Why would I…?” the short man parroted, like he didn’t understand the words coming out of his mouth. Then he snorted and smirked. “Do I need a reason? I saved you. That’s just what heroes do.”

Tatsumi opened his mouth, even though he didn’t quite know what to say. Jekyll looked equally baffled by Issun’s lackadaisical attitude. A small hope blossomed in his chest, that maybe they wouldn’t be at odds with every single one of the other Servants. Tatsumi stepped out from behind the berserker, suddenly feeling safe despite himself. Issun had ample opportunities to attack them, and yet he hadn’t. That seemed reason enough to let his guard down, at least a little.

Almost as suddenly as Issun had appeared, a woman darted around the corner, making a beeline for the short man. “Didja find ‘em?” she asked as she slid to a stop.

Turning to their new companion, Issun smiled and nodded. “Sure did! But he got away. On the plus side, I made some friends.”

The woman cast her eyes over Tatsumi and Jekyll as if she’d just now seen them. If he was being honest, Tatsumi didn’t really want to have her attention on him at all. She looked like she could snap him as easily as a toothpick, and her clothing was designed to show off the muscles that would let her do so. Especially her orange tank top, which had the words “Renegade Option” emblazoned over a stylized image of a star.

And yet, when she smiled, her face lit up like that of an overly-eager retriever. “Friends, huh? Well, if Issun likes ya, then so do I.” Stepping forward, she held out her hand, which bore a similar, red mark like the one Tatsumi had. “Name’s Jean Koyuki. What’re yours?”

As Jean approached, Jekyll laid a hand on Tatsumi’s shoulder, urging the young man to stay behind him without forcing him to. Caught up in the moment, Tatsumi barely noticed, venturing his arm out from the warmth of the coat to clasp the young woman’s hand. “Tatsumi Kitano. You’re… a lot friendlier than I expected.”

Jean just shrugged, ignoring the worried look Jekyll cast her way. “Eh, don’t really care about all this-” She made some air quotes for emphasis. “-‘Holy Grail’ nonsense. What I do care about is some shmuck running around my city like he owns the place, loppin’ people’s heads off like it’s the fuckin’ French Revolution.”

“What?!” Jekyll gasped. His grip on Tatsumi tightened, and the young man had to pry the berserker’s fingers off before he started to bruise. “When did that happen?”

“Couldn’t have been too long ago,” Issun piped in, still rocking back and forth. “Blood was still fresh.” He paused for a moment before adding, “You didn’t know? I thought you were going after Assassin for the same reason we were.”

Tatsumi shook his head. “This is news to me. But if Assassin killed… murdered someone… then I’m glad we found him before anyone else got hurt.”

“Hm…” Jean hummed, putting a hand to her chin and leaning down to Tatsumi’s eye level. “You… you I like,” she suddenly declared. “How’s about we continue this somewhere outta the rain? Dunno about you two, but I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” With a wink to the duo, Jean turned on her heel and began walking down the street. “But pancakes’ll do the trick. You coming?”

Jekyll kept his eyes locked on Issun and his master, but he didn’t object when Tatsumi grabbed his hand and began following the buff woman. Tatsumi didn’t blame his Servant’s concern; it was good to have caution. However, like the giant bison that roamed the ranches outside town, they would be far better off in a group.

_ Allies, _ he thought idly.  _ That sounds like a good plan. I really hope they don’t stab us in the back. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, we meet two of my favorite OC's out of the ones I made for this fic. I'll admit, I kinda based Issun's design off of the Issun from Okami.
> 
> I don't know why, but this chapter was the most difficult one to write of what I've done so far, and even now I'm not too proud of it. I just wanted a way to get these guys working together so I can get to writing more of the story. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter.


	4. Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alliance is struck, and other forces begin to take notice.

When Jean mentioned pancakes, she wasn’t just making a joke. She led them straight to a small restaurant where practically everything on the menu was some variation of breakfast food, most prominently pancakes.

As they sat down, Jekyll briefly wondered if it wouldn’t have been better for him to enter spirit form. It would be easier on Tatsumi’s mana reserves, but he was loathe to leave his master unprotected. Especially since they didn’t know why this strange master was being so… personable. The berserker had been hurt before by friendly words concealing a venomous motive; he would not be repeating that mistake.

After they placed their orders, Jean leaned back in her chair and regarded the nervous duo. “So… Tatsumi and Berserker, right? What _were_ you two doing there? Just curious, you know.”

Jekyll’s eyes flicked to Tatsumi, and the young man looked back. The berserker had never been in a situation where he and another Servant weren’t actively trying to kill each other. He admitted that he felt a bit lost.

When Jekyll didn’t speak, Tatsumi seemed to realize that he was uncomfortable, and the young man gave him a smile before turning back to Jean. “We were doing some investigating,” he said. “Berserker sensed something coming from that location, so we thought we’d check it out.”

“What were you gonna do if you found something?” Issun piped up from the woman’s side. He’d since changed into more modern clothing, mimicking his master’s way of dressing, all the way to the sports sandals. “No offense, but you’re pretty weak. Berserker here doesn’t even ping as a Servant.”

“We…” Jekyll began before trailing off. “Um…” Now that he thought about it, they hadn’t thought of doing anything more than investigating the other masters and Servants. They should’ve been able to detect other Servants long before encountering them, and the berserker could easily pass for a regular human, so going unnoticed shouldn’t have been a problem. Assassin truly had caught them off-guard. Jekyll closed his eyes and sighed. “We had no plan for if we were found out. I would simply fight whichever enemy we found ourselves facing.”

“Alone?” Issun asked.

Jekyll nodded. “How else? Alliances never seem to end well in Grail Wars…” _No matter how much I’d like to have help,_ he mentally added.

Jean crossed her arms and looked between the two Servants, then to Tatsumi. Her smile had slowly been disappearing as the conversation turned to more somber topics, and she raised an eyebrow as she asked the young man, “Do you feel the same? That alliances are more trouble than they’re worth?”

Looking to his master, the berserker saw Tatsumi pull the coat tighter around himself. Jekyll could see that he was worried, and he knew why. Despite their new companions’ jovial natures, they were still enemies in the grand scheme of the War. The berserker cursed his poor choice in words; if Tatsumi agreed with Jekyll, then they might have another fight on their hands. One that Jekyll firmly believed he couldn’t win without Hyde.

“I don’t know,” the young man finally mumbled. “I’m no good with planning. I just… want to protect people. And I don’t think I can do that alone, but…”

“Then don’t do it alone,” Jean declared, slamming her hand down and leaning over the table. “You wanna protect people? So do I! Heck, we found you two ‘cause we were chasin’ down Assassin, gonna make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.” She glanced to the side, then added, “Well, he got away, but hey, no one died. I mean… out of us… You know what I mean, right?”

Jekyll nodded along with Tatsumi. Eloquence was not one of Jean’s finer points, it seemed.

“Anyway,” the muscled woman said, “point is, we got the same goal, right? So let’s team up. If nothing else, that’s one less Servant ya gotta worry about. Whaddya say?”

_I want to believe you,_ Jekyll thought. His eyes drifted back to his master, who looked back at the berserker with uncertainty. The nausea of worry bubbled in his stomach, and Jekyll could only imagine what it was like for Tatsumi. The young man had never been in a Grail War, nor did he have the lifetime of experience Jekyll had. _I don’t have any answers. I’m sorry._

To Tatsumi, the berserker said, “Given the number of combatants in this War, an alliance may not be a bad idea. I’d recommend caution either way. However, I will leave the decision up to you.”

Tatsumi swallowed thickly and gave a single nod before turning back to Jean and Issun. The young man sat up taller, and Jekyll realized just how small he’d appeared to be up to that point. He could practically feel his master shaking with apprehension, and Jekyll rested his hand on Tatsumi’s shoulder. The young man stilled almost instantly and finally cleared his throat.

“I… I definitely need help,” Tatsumi said. “If you’re okay teaming up with a lackluster mage, then we’ll join your side.”

The largest grin spread across Jean’s face at those words, like a puppy just hearing its owner come home from work. “Excellent! Now let’s eat!”

* * * * * * * * * *

The rest of the impromptu meal was spent alternating between exchanging contact information and stuffing their faces with what Tatsumi would call the best pancakes in the city. While Jekyll only had a few bites to be polite, stating that Servants didn’t require food, Issun dug in with the same voracity Jean did. If they were trying to deceive the young man, then they were going all in on their “friendly jock” personas.

Afterwards, Jean waved them off. She and Issun were going to continue their search for Assassin, but Tatsumi didn’t feel up for another fight. He and Jekyll quickly returned to Tatsumi’s apartment, walking in relative silence. It was probably for the better that they didn’t stay out, as the break in the storm ended just a few blocks from the apartment complex, the rain coming down even harder than before.

“Berserker?” Tatsumi said once they were safely inside his home. Jekyll immediately turned to his master, and the young man suddenly didn’t remember what he was going to ask. “Erm… you… you seemed a bit… nervous earlier. When we were with Jean and Issun. Why?” He began wringing the water out of his shirt, realizing that he was still wearing Jekyll’s coat as he did so. “That is, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Jekyll was quiet for a moment, his eyes sliding away from Tatsumi as if his concern were something to be embarrassed about. He took off his glasses and shook the water from them before giving an answer. “As I said earlier,” the berserker spoke, each word deliberately chosen, “alliances during the Grail War tend to end badly. My concern is for your safety, so I must be wary of the other participants.”

“But Jean and Issun seemed really nice,” Tatsumi retorted, taking the coat off and twisting it in his hands. Despite the torrential downpour they’d run through, Jekyll’s clothing wasn’t particularly wet. The young man absentmindedly wondered if it was somewhat waterproof.

“They do,” Jekyll agreed. “But that is precisely why I am worried. Kindness is so easy to feign.”

“You think they were faking it?”

“I don’t know… I’ve was betrayed in life by one I called friend, only to learn that his only goal was to see me dead. The wounds of that betrayal run deep. I hope our new associates are genuine, but…” The berserker shrugged and meandered from the small entrance hall into the living room. Tatsumi followed, only realizing how sore his legs were from all the walking they’d done when he flopped onto the couch. Jekyll didn’t make any immediate move to sit down, so Tatsumi gestured to the spot next to him. The berserker hesitated a moment before taking a seat as well.

An awkward sort of formality hung in the air as Tatsumi tried to think of how to continue the conversation. “Um… thanks for the coat,” he said quietly.

Jekyll looked almost surprised as Tatsumi offered the blue and gray garment to him. Still, the berserker took it and threw it back on his shoulders, as it had been when he was summoned. “Did it help?”

Tatsumi nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

A friendly smile settled on the berserker’s lips. It was the kind of smile that lit up one’s entire face, one that Tatsumi couldn’t help but smile back at. “You’re welcome.” Jekyll paused for a moment, then added, “We’ve still a few hours before sundown. Was there anything you needed to do?”

It was Tatsumi’s turn to shrug. “It’s not like I can call up my mage friends to get info,” he groaned. The reality of his inexperience and lack of involvement with the magical world weighed heavily on his confidence. He spoke with such determination when deciding what to do during the War, but in truth, he was little more than a blind puppy amidst trained hunters. One of many reasons he really wanted to team up with Jean and Issun. “I have some homework, but that just don’t seem important anymore.” Tatsumi sighed and leaned on his knees. “I bet the other masters are doing all this magic stuff to prepare, too. I wish I knew more…”

Jekyll raised an eyebrow, then looked up, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Well…” the berserker ventured, “I’m no mage, but I know a fair deal of alchemy.”

Tatsumi perked up at the word. He’d never learned much about it, especially since modern science replaced it in the mundane world. Mostly, the young man heard it used in fanciful settings, such as anime and manga. He never considered it something that was used in real life.

“I don’t know how much it could help in our current situation,” Jekyll continued, his smile turning the slightest bit sheepish. “However, I’d be more than happy to teach you what I know.”

Tatsumi blinked. “Me? Learn alchemy?” It wasn’t magic, but he couldn’t think of a better teacher at that moment. Jekyll _did_ invent a serum that no one else had since been able to replicate, at least to Tatsumi’s knowledge. “Um, sure. Why not?”

“Excellent,” Jekyll chirped, hopping to his feet. “Now, where to start…?”

“R-right now?”

“Was there something else you wanted to do?”

An undignified snort escaped Tatsumi’s nose as he chuckled. “Good point. Teach away.”

* * * * * * * * * *

In the garden of the elegant Bennetto mansion, the sound of soft footsteps roused a sallow young man from his slumber. Lowen had parked his wheelchair beneath his favorite cherry tree to enjoy the songs of unseen birds, but the warm air and patchy light filtering through the leaves lulled him to sleep before he knew it. Taking a few deep breaths, he mentally prepared himself for the pain of movement and opened his eyes.

His Servant, Charles-Henri Sanson, came to a stop a few feet in front of him. The French executioner knelt when he saw that Lowen was awake. “My apologies, Master,” he said, his voice as soft and gentle as a plush blanket. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I trust your sleep was peaceful.”

Lowen nodded and slowly stretched. Sudden movements caused the ever-present pain permeating his body to flare up, but if he moved deliberately, then it was far more manageable. “It was,” the frail master said. “Did you just get back from hunting?”

Sanson bowed his head. “Yes. I now have several days worth of mana, so you needn’t worry about providing it.”

The frail master allowed himself a small smile. When his Command Spells manifested, Lowen’s first concern was how he would provide enough energy to maintain a Servant. His body barely produced enough mana for the most basic of spells; a prolonged contract was out of the question. But Lowen was determined to participate in this War. After all, few opportunities to cure himself ever appeared. If he needed to send his executioner to consume a few lowlifes’ hearts, then that was the price he would pay.

“That’s good to hear,” Lowen said as he settled back in his seat. “We should let the others know that you’re combat-ready, then. Would you mind wheeling me back inside?”

“I don’t mind.” Sanson stood back up to his full height. He quietly padded around Lowen’s wheelchair as the frail master disengaged the brakes. “Isn’t this device of yours motorized, though? You’ve no need for me to chauffeur you around.”

Lowen chuckled, a raspy, rattling sound that spoke to how little he made it. “I know,” he said, turning to look Sanson in the eye. “But the ride’s much smoother when you’re pushing it.”

The executioner smiled and bowed his head before beginning the trip back into the mansion proper. A few minutes passed, and then he spoke up again. “I believe I must mention that I had a brief encounter with two enemy Servants earlier.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” Sanson continued. “One was a Berserker who had no presence, and another who proclaimed himself to be Issun-Boshi. They did not appear to recognize each other, but I have a feeling they may join forces in the future.”

“Hm…” Lowen closed his eyes and thought. He didn’t know who this Issun-Boshi was, but that was easy enough to look up. The other Servant might prove troublesome. “We’ll bring it up at the next meeting. The others should know about them. For now, let’s just find Miss Sayjou. She’ll know what we should do next.”


	5. Brawl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Servants are revealed, and Hyde finally joins the fray.

The faint light of early pre-dawn had barely begun to peek through the window when Tatsumi was woken by someone gently shaking his shoulder. He tried to wave the other person away, not terribly eager to leave his bed, but they persisted. Tatsumi finally just sighed and sat up.

“I’m sorry for waking you,” Jekyll said softly, already sheepishly bowing his head. “However, I just sensed a Servant nearby.”

That woke the young man up. His eyes went wide, and he whirled toward the good doctor at his bedside. “Are… are they headed this way?” Tatsumi remembered just how deadly Assassin looked the previous day, and Jekyll hadn’t noticed him until the white-haired man was practically on top of them. How much more powerful could a Servant be if they couldn’t conceal their presence? Dread pooled in the young man’s stomach, and his sleep-addled mind spun horrid imagery of an evil demon coming straight for them.

“No! No, no, no.” Jekyll knelt down and lay his hands on Tatsumi’s shoulders. “It’s nothing so bad,” he quickly explained. “What I mean is that a Servant has essentially declared themselves ready for combat. In essence, they are requesting that someone answer their challenge.”

The shaking that seized Tatsumi’s body immediately stopped at Jekyll’s words. “So…” The young man shook his head, as if that would jumpstart his brain. “So you want to fight him? Is that right?”

“Definitely not,” the good doctor declared. “But someone else surely will. If we go and watch, we may be able to gather some information on the other Servants.”

“Mm,” Tatsumi nodded. He slid out of bed and began grabbing some semi-decent clothing to go out in. “What do you need me to do?”

“Just stay close to me. Personally, I would rather have you nowhere near the fighting, but without any magical protection, I’m afraid that the safest place for you is by my side.”

Tatsumi paused rummaging through his pile of clean clothes to look up at his Servant. Jekyll appeared somber, gaze cast to the side, his eyes unfocused and haunted. The young man felt a pang in his chest, accompanied by a strong desire to hug the good doctor. To comfort him and turn his mind away from whatever bad memories were plaguing him. Tatsumi might have done just that if he weren’t embarrassed just thinking about it.

Instead, he threw a jacket over his nightclothes and grabbed some shoes, directing a question in Jekyll’s general direction. “You really don’t want to go too far away from me, don’t you?”

Jekyll startled and snapped his head to look at his master. “Oh… I suppose that’s… correct.”

“Why?” Tatsumi prodded, quickly adding, “Just curious. You don’t have to answer.”

The good doctor was silent, glancing off to the side. Once again, his eyes became unfocused, seeing something that had happened long ago.

“Something bad happened, didn’t it?” the young man mumbled. “S-sorry for bringing it up. L-let’s just go, okay?”

Jekyll slowly nodded, shaking himself out of his reverie to lead Tatsumi to the source of the Servant’s energy. As they went down the deserted streets, Tatsumi sent a short text to Jean, telling her where they’d be and to meet up with them if she could. After all, more eyes were better, and they might end up needing backup too.

* * * * * * * * * *

A battle was already well underway when they arrived. Jekyll wasn’t at all surprised, given that it took them a good ten minutes to make their way to the train yard. The sounds of metal crashing against metal rang out, echoing off the large shipping containers stacked around the tracks as they approached. Jekyll stopped near the edge of the yard, hopping up onto the containers to get a better view of the fight. He motioned for Tatsumi to stay at ground level, where he’d be a bit harder to find.

Kneeling down to make himself as small a target as possible, Jekyll peeked around the corner to see who was trading blows.

Two combatants danced across a large, open section of the train yard. One was clad in mountain scale armor, wielding a sword two-handed. They also wore a horned helmet decorated so it appeared to be the head of a Chinese dragon. It made discerning their features difficult as it cast shadows across their face. Their steps were light and graceful, yet they held their ground when their opponent struck.

Said opponent barely wore clothing, much less actual armor. The only thing he had on was a pair of jeans, proudly displaying his chest with all the red scars that adorned it. He had an oversized sword in each hand, and he swung them with as much ease as one would a twig. Unlike the other combatant, though, he fought erratically, striking from whichever direction was most convenient. The armored warrior, while successfully blocking or dodging every strike so far, quite obviously wouldn’t be able to keep up forever under such an assault.

_They both use swords,_ Jekyll pondered, memorizing every detail of the combatants that he could. _It’s possible they’re both Sabers… but that one fights like a Berserker._

Taking his eyes off the battle, the good doctor took a moment to make sure Tatsumi was still safe before taking stock of the surrounding area. With over two dozen Servants summoned for this War, others must have been drawn to that location. Jekyll could sense them; all that was left was to find them. Few of the shipping containers were stacked more than two high, leaving only a couple high spots for Jekyll to check. Any long-range Servant, such as an Archer or Caster, would find such places advantageous due to the wide view they provided. If there were any such Servants present, they would be up high.

Jekyll’s deduction bore fruit as he spied what looked like a young woman perched atop a lamp post just over a hundred yards away from his hiding spot. It was hard to tell given the light conditions, but she was adorned in what appeared to be gold and red silks that fluttered gently in the breeze. She had her fiery hair pulled back in twintails, and a weapon lay across her lap, though Jekyll couldn’t tell if it was a bow or a staff from so far off. The important part was that she hadn’t noticed them yet, her attention clearly focused on the other fighters.

The good doctor mentally noted where she was and went back to searching for other Servants. He could definitely sense more in the vicinity. However, they were either in spirit form or in hiding, as Jekyll couldn’t see anything else out of the ordinary. He brought his attention back to the fight, wondering if there was any point to observing longer when a sharp cry ripped through the air.

The shirtless man’s constant barrage finally breached the Chinese warrior’s defenses, allowing him to leave a horrid gash along their side. Jekyll saw the blood splatter along the ground and swallowed his instinct to rush forward and provide aid. Chances were they would turn their sword on him if given the chance. The Chinese warrior stumbled back, clutching their side while the shirtless man looked on with haughty pride. Jekyll could hear some of the words that were exchanged, but he couldn’t discern enough to make sense of it. Whatever conversation the two combatants had, the Chinese warrior bowed their head and vanished in a cloud of glowing, white motes that soon faded.

_So ends this battle,_ he thought as the remaining fighter looked around. He began making his way back to Tatsumi, keeping an eye on what the shirtless man was doing. _The lack of other Servants worries me, though. We should fall back for now; we have enough information to comb through._

“Hey, assholes!” the shirtless man bellowed. Jekyll nearly stumbled off the shipping container at just how loud the man was. “I know you’re there! Now come out and fight! Or was that Saber the only one brave enough to face me?”

The good doctor hopped off the shipping container just before he heard the shirtless man leap onto a tall stack nearer the train tracks. Once on solid ground, Jekyll immediately went to his master’s side.

“That was quick,” Tatsumi said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “What happened? Is that guy looking for us?”

Jekyll shook his head. Before he answered, he laid a hand on the young man’s shoulder and guided him closer to the side of the container stack. Further into the shadows. “I doubt it,” the doctor finally answered. “Other Servants can’t sense me, and even mages don’t have enough of a presence to sense. If anything, he’s looking for that red-haired girl I saw… on that lamppost.” As he motioned to the post, Jekyll realized that it stood empty, and he sighed. “She may have fled, which is something we should do as well, but it may be a better strategy to simply hide until that Servant loses interest. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves since he has a good vantage point.”

Tatsumi nodded, wrapping his arms around himself as they began to wait out their would-be assailant. Jekyll was just about to do the same when a gunshot pierced the air. The shot hit the ground not two feet from Tatsumi, startling them both and causing the shirtless man’s tirade to halt as if interrupted. Jekyll grabbed the young man, shielding Tatsumi with his body, and they ducked around the corner, just in time to avoid a barrage of shots that certainly would have hit had they not moved.

Unfortunately, by avoiding the gunfire, they had done exactly what Jekyll hadn’t wanted to do. The confusion about who could be shooting at them was quickly replaced with fear, as the shirtless man noticed the duo hurrying out of their hiding spot, and he couldn’t be happier.

“Well, well, well,” the man chuckled. With a practiced ease, he leapt from his perch, landing heavily on the ground in front of Jekyll and Tatsumi. This close, the good doctor could clearly see the glint of madness in his eyes. “What’s a pair of fine folk like you doing out here?”

Jekyll ran through a hundred possible reasons he and his master would be in the train yard so early in the morning, hoping to find some excuse to convince the shirtless man that they were mere humans. But from the way the man grinned as his eyes flicked to Tatsumi’s hand and the red Command Spells, the good doctor knew the shirtless man would never believe any excuse he could give.

“If he’s the Master,” the man chuckled, looking right into Jekyll’s eyes, “guess you’re the Servant.”

Jekyll had the briefest moment to push Tatsumi out of the way as the shirtless man bent his knees… before launching himself at the good doctor. Pain exploded through Jekyll’s body as the man’s foot connected with his stomach, knocking him back with enough force that the doctor left a dent where he collided with the shipping container.

“Berserker!”

Tatsumi’s scream cut through the haze of pain, and Jekyll glared at the shirtless man. He just wanted to protect his master. Why was that proving so hard to accomplish? Jekyll grit his teeth; he knew what he had to do.

Reaching into his breast pocket, Jekyll found the vial. His Noble Phantasm. It hardly looked like a weapon, but the good doctor knew better. The serum couldn’t hurt anyone directly; it was merely a key, locking away a ferocious beast. A beast he was about to unleash.

Jekyll hesitated. He never wanted to let Hyde out again, especially since the berserker had been rather quiet since their summoning. But he had precious few options. The crazed swordsman was itching for a fight, and the good doctor knew he wouldn’t be able to put up a good one… but _he_ would. Swallowing his pride, Jekyll unstoppered the vial and held it up in a wry mockery of a toast.

“Dangerous Game,” he whispered, releasing the name of his Noble Phantasm. “The Secret Game of Sin.”

And then he drank.

* * * * * * * * * *

Hyde couldn’t contain his joy as he felt the serum course through his veins. It pulled him up out of the black nothingness he occupied while Jekyll was in control, like a lifeline thrown to save him from drowning. As the berserker readjusted to having an actual body, laughter bubbled up in his chest. He was free once more. He could _do_ things.

“Yes!” Hyde shouted, standing to his full height and stretching. “Finally! We’re gonna have some fun!”

Red eyes flashed as he took a quick look around. Tatsumi was backing away, but the swordsman hadn’t moved. In fact, he appeared to be quite satisfied with this development.

“Mister Hyde, huh?” the crazed swordsman asked, though it hardly sounded like a question. He leveled one of his swords at the berserker, smirk as wide as it could get. “I think you’re right. This is gonna be interesting.”

That was all Hyde needed to hear. Throwing caution to the wind, he materialized his knife and charged straight at the swordsman. The man angled his own blade to block, but it didn’t matter. Strength flowed through Hyde’s body, lending incredible force to every blow. The berserker’s strike sent the swordsman sliding back several meters, just short of putting his own dent in the metal containers.

“My turn!” the swordsman roared, not with rage, but mirth.

As quickly as Hyde had launched his assault, the swordsman struck back, lashing out with both blades. The berserker managed to avoid being chopped in half but was left with two gashes across his chest to remind him how close he’d been to oblivion.

The world narrowed to a single point. Hyde didn’t see anything but the enemy in front of him, didn’t hear anything but the clash of metal and squish of cut flesh. He jumped across the train yard without a care for how much property they damaged from strikes that missed. Splashes of blood from the swings that connected painted the ground, but they continued anyway. Hyde’s wounds healed almost as fast as he received them, and the crazed swordsman didn’t seem to mind the amount of damage he was taking either.

Truly, this was how the Holy Grail War was meant to be fought… with madness and blood. Hyde just couldn’t help himself and began laughing as he was swept up in the ecstasy of violent combat.

And then his knife broke.

Hyde wasn’t entirely sure how it happened, only that one moment he was drawing blood from his opponent and the next he was holding just the hilt. That realization tore him out of his blood haze as he stared at the now useless weapon in his hand.

“Shit,” Hyde hissed, throwing the broken blade to the side, where it disappeared without a trace. If he had any sort of competent master, then he easily would’ve had enough mana to manifest another knife. As it was, his own reserves were running close to empty, and the trickle of energy coming from Tatsumi was nowhere near enough to replenish the berserker.

With his options running slim and time running out, Hyde raised his fists.

The crazed swordsman paused and raised an eyebrow. “Think you can beat me without your little butterknife?”

“What? Afraid you’ll lose? Come at me!” Hyde snapped back, unwilling to give his opponent any ground.

With a smile, the swordsman threw his weapons to the ground, raising his fists to mirror the berserker. “Not at all. I’m always ready for a good old fistfight!” Giving a wink to Hyde, he added, “And since you gave your name, it’d be rude of me not to return the favor, especially for such a good fight.” Chuckling just a bit, the swordsman said, “Beowulf.”

Hyde’s rage at losing his favorite weapon immediately morphed into joy. It had been so long since he’d been in a knock down, drag out brawl like this. The berserker had almost forgotten how good it felt to beat someone up with his own hands. He and Beowulf rushed forward once more, wailing on each other with bloody fists between attempted and successful throws.

“Berserker, stop fighting! Now!”

Hyde ignored the high-pitched voice. He was having too much fun to just quit.

“Saber! Stop him!”

Just as the two berserkers were about to give each other a right hook, another Servant wedged himself between the two. While Beowulf’s fist connected with the new Servant’s shield, Hyde found his wrist tightly in the new man’s grip. The new Servant - Saber, presumably - was a tall man in Roman style armor. His red hair was tied back to keep it out of his face, giving a clear view of his calm and steely gaze.

When Saber spoke, it was with a steady, commanding voice. “You will cease your battle immediately. At this rate, you’ll drain your master completely of mana.”

Hyde growled in annoyance but spared a glance at Tatsumi. He hadn’t realized just how far from their initial hiding spot they’d gone, but he could see his master had come closer, half-carried by a very concerned Issun. In the back of his mind, Hyde could feel Jekyll begging to be given control, to avoid killing Tatsumi from the absurd amount of energy the berserker required to exist. Hyde huffed, but he admitted that he didn’t particularly want to see their master die so early in the War.

“Fine,” Hyde growled, yanking his arm out of Saber’s grasp. “But you’re gonna pay for interrupting my fun.”

With that, he let go of their shared body, slipping back into the abyss as Jekyll assumed control once again.


	6. Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang retires to a safe location so Tatsumi can restore his mana.

Despite knowing his Servant’s true name, Tatsumi didn’t actually believe the good doctor was also Edward Hyde. Jekyll was so kind, patient, and eager to help that the idea of him possessing a murderous alter ego seemed implausible at best. That very quickly changed once Jekyll used his Noble Phantasm. The good doctor hardly looked different after his transformation, but the manic laughter that escaped Hyde’s lips drove it home that they were two separate entities. Gripped by a sudden, primal fear, like that of a mouse hearing an eagle’s screech, Tatsumi backed away from the fight.

Getting away was, apparently, the best move, as the crazed swordsman and red-eyed berserker charged at each other. Their careless strikes left gashes in the surrounding shipping containers and divets in the ground. Tatsumi tried to follow their erratic dance, but he had other, more immediate problems.

The moment Jekyll turned into Hyde, Tatsumi felt his energy slipping away. Up until that point, the young man was only barely aware of the mana trickling to his Servant through their contract. Jekyll had, of course, told Tatsumi that Hyde required far more mana to maintain than the doctor did, but he hadn’t expected the difference to be so pronounced. The young man slumped against the nearest container, fighting the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep where he stood.

As the fight continued, hunger began to gnaw at Tatsumi’s insides. Without sufficient mana reserves to power Hyde, his body turned to other means to supply the rapid drain. The hunger got steadily worse, and then he started shivering. Hyde truly would take whatever energy he could, up to an including Tatsumi’s body heat.

“Berserker.” The young man tried to shout, but it came out as barely a whisper. Tatsumi wrapped his arms around himself in a vain attempt to get warmer. From the little he knew of magic, he could guess that he would have to stop the drain on his mana before he would begin to feel better. He had to get Hyde to stop fighting somehow. “Berserker.”

It was no use. Hyde was far too enthralled with the fist fight his battle had devolved into, and Tatsumi’s voice was too weak. Panic rose within his chest as the young man realized just how little he could do.

“Tatsumi? Is that you?”

Tatsumi turned to the voice and smiled as he saw Issun. A man clad in Roman armor stood behind the short Servant, but Issun didn’t seem worried by his presence. In response to his question, Tatsumi nodded.

Issun was by the young man’s side in an instant, feeling his forehead like a concerned mother. “Oh hell! You’re freezing!” Without prompting, Issun slung Tatsumi’s arm over his shoulder, helping him to his feet. “How’d this happen? It’s not that cold out…”

“Mana…” Tatsumi managed, as if that would explain everything.

Thankfully, Issun seemed to get the point, eyes flicking toward the battle. “Berserker!” he yelled. “Stop fighting! Now!” When neither fighter even paused their assault, Issun turned to his red-haired companion. “Saber! Stop him!”

Saber gave a terse nod and dashed forward, wedging himself between the fighters and effectively bringing their duel to a halt. Tatsumi couldn’t hear what the red-haired Servant said, but whatever it was made Hyde step back and relinquish control to Jekyll.

Immediately, Tatsumi felt the flow of mana slow to a steady drip. He was still cold, tired, and more than a little hungry, but it was no longer getting worse. The young man sighed in relief and leaned a bit more against Issun.

“Feeling better?” the short Servant asked as Jekyll rushed to join them, leaving Saber to deal with Beowulf.

Tatsumi nodded, although he didn’t feel _better_ perse. “I could… probably eat an entire horse…” he muttered.

“I’m so sorry,” Jekyll said, his voice trembling and panicked. He wrung his hands as he spoke, rocking on his heels as if he wanted to do something but worried he’d do it wrong. “I didn’t think Hy- _he_ would be so outclassed. The fight shouldn’t have gone on that long. I’m so, so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Tatsumi wanted to put his hand on the good doctor’s shoulder and tell him that it was alright, that he hadn’t been prepared either. The most he could manage at that moment was a vague wave in Jekyll’s direction. _Sleep sounds really nice right now,_ he thought idly before saying, “It’s okay. I’m just tired.” Even he didn’t believe his own words. Thankfully, neither Servant looked like they wanted to press the issue.

“Well,” Issun piped up, “this ain’t a good place to stick around. Let’s get you somewhere safe.” Looking at Saber, who was just joining their little circle, the short Servant added, “Did that other ‘Zerker leave already?”

Saber stood with a noble dignity which Tatsumi thought was far too formal given the situation. Of all the Servants they’d encountered so far, the red-haired man gave off the impression that he was truly an ancient hero, someone who was used to being respected and rightfully so. When he spoke, Saber remained formal and polite. “He wishes to fight our Berserker friend again. Given that that is not a possibility at the moment, he said he’s willing to withdraw until we can ‘give him a rematch.’” With a small sigh, he rolled his eyes. “I’ll admit I wasn’t eager to fight such a man, but I am surprised he retreated with such a simple agreement.”

“That doesn’t matter now!” Jekyll interjected, causing everyone to startle just the slightest bit. “Issun. A safe place. Where?”

“Oh, right.” The short Servant began urging Tatsumi to walk back to the train yard’s entrance. “Jean’s place. She can give you a ride.”

Tatsumi did his best to move, but a few steps towards the edge of the yard, he blacked out. It only felt like a moment, but when he faded back into consciousness, Jekyll was carrying him across a parking lot to where Jean was leaning against a blue SUV.

The young man wanted nothing more than to bury his face in Jekyll’s shoulder and go back to sleep, but his need for politeness proved stronger. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Tatsumi sat up as much as he could. The action didn’t go unnoticed by his Servant.

“Tatsumi? I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No…” Tatsumi mumbled, still shaking off his grogginess. “How long was I out? And where’s Issun?”

“Not long. Issun and Saber are nearby. They said they would keep an eye out for danger while we’re en-route. We’re just meeting up with Miss Koyuki now.”

“You can call me Jean, y’know,” the muscled woman chuckled. She sauntered up to the pair, giving Tatsumi a once-over. “Issun filled me in. Low on mana, right?”

“Very,” Jekyll answered. “He said that your home would be a safe place to recuperate.”

Jean shrugged. “Safe-ish. I’ve got, like, two wards in place, but no one’s bothered me so far.” She pulled a granola bar out of her pocket and offered it to Tatsumi. “Anyway, you gotta get your energy back. I’ve got more food at home, but this should do for now.”

Tatsumi started nibbling on the crunchy snack as Jean and Jekyll helped him into the back seat of her car. During the fight, his stomach had growled, and the young man knew that he was hungry, but he hadn’t realized just how much he needed food until he began eating. He practically ate the entire thing in one bite after the first taste. His stomach growled furiously at the lackluster sustenance.

Jekyll sat beside him as Jean turned on the engine. “I’m sorry,” the good doctor whispered to no one in particular.

The part of Tatsumi that empathized with others ached at the helplessness in Jekyll’s voice. After all the good doctor had done to protect him, Jekyll still believed he was more of a liability than anything else. Tatsumi was far too tired to think of a way to reassure his Servant, and so he just rested his head on Jekyll’s shoulder in what he hoped was a friendly gesture.

“It’s okay,” the young man muttered into the doctor’s coat. “I’m fine.”

Once again, Tatsumi felt the dark of unconsciousness enveloping him. This time he didn’t fight it and drifted to sleep. He was only aware of Jekyll putting an arm around his shoulder before slumber took him completely.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jean’s apartment was more of a condo, large enough for a few people to live comfortably, though not in luxury. Saber and Issun met back up with them once she parked her car, their vigilance no longer needed as direly since they were entering a safe location. Well, safe-ish.

Jekyll was reluctant to wake his master from such a peaceful sleep. The good doctor couldn’t remember the last time he could close his eyes and rest without the risk of Hyde ripping the reins out of his hands. He wanted to let Tatsumi enjoy his rest as long as possible, but they really couldn’t just leave him in the car. Jekyll gently roused the young man from his slumber.

“We’re here,” the good doctor said quietly. “Would you like me to carry you in, or do you think you can walk now?”

Tatsumi gave a lazy nod and scooted out. Exhaustion lay heavily in the way he stood, but most of his color had returned. A memory flashed across Jekyll’s mind’s eye, of a Tatsumi whose skin was ashen pale and eyes were lifeless. The good doctor pushed that image away. He wouldn’t be letting that happen again.

Up ahead, Jean already unlocked the front door, stopping to trace a symbol over the peephole before waving the others inside. “Welcome to my humble abode,” she said with unnecessary grandeur. “Sorry for the mess. I don’t have guests that often.”

Stepping past the small entryway, Jekyll could see why Jean felt the need to apologize. Clothing, books, and exercise equipment were strewn about the living area in no apparent order, left wherever was most convenient. A hodgepodge of decorative lights and posters covered most of the walls, giving the apartment a very cramped atmosphere despite the ample floor space that was still clear. As Jekyll took a moment to take note of their new surroundings, Tatsumi made a beeline for the couch. No sooner had the young man sat down than a brown-speckled pitbull came rushing out of a side room and launched itself onto the cushion beside him. Tatsumi let out a yelp at the sudden company.

Jekyll rushed forward to protect his master. For all of his caution and distrust, he truly hadn’t expected to be attacked inside Jean’s house. Fear and anger sparked in his mind until he saw that the dog had made no move to bite Tatsumi. Rather, it merely sat at attention, tongue lolling out as its tail beat against the cushions.

“Oh, shit!” Jean gasped, leaving Issun to close the door as she nearly tripped over herself trying to get between the doctor and the dog. “Sorry. Should’ve warned you about Drake.” Gently pushing Jekyll out of the way, she picked the pitbull up and set him down on the floor, where he obediently stayed put. “He’s a sweetheart, I swear.”

“That’s…” Jekyll began, relaxing ever so slightly, “that’s good.”

Tatsumi also relaxed, leaning forward to pat Drake on the head, earning him some very contented panting from the pitbull. “Good boy.”

“He is, ain’t he?” the muscled woman snickered. “Anyway, you still hungry? I got tons of food. Any preference?”

Tatsumi shook his head. “Not really. Anything sounds good right about now.”

“Eggs and bacon it is, then. Just sit back; I’ll have breakfast done in a jiffy.”

As Jean swung around a corner into the kitchen, Jekyll shuffled around Drake’s massive body to sit beside his master. That day certainly hadn’t gotten off to a good start. _And it’s all my fault_ , the good doctor chastised himself. _If I didn’t suggest going out, then I wouldn’t have placed Tatsumi in such danger._ Slowly, he lowered his head into his hands. _I can’t protect him while he’s far away, and I can’t protect him while he’s near… God, what do I do?_

“Berserker?”

Jekyll startled a bit as he felt Tatsumi’s hand on his shoulder. Chancing a glance at his master, the doctor saw Tatsumi’s eyes filled with concern. _No… I will find a way to keep you safe. You’re too kind of a soul to die here._

“Are you okay, Berserker?” the young man repeated.

“I’m fine,” Jekyll lied. “I’m just… disappointed that I placed you in a compromising situation.”

“Oh.” Tatsumi withdrew his hand, and the doctor found himself missing the contact. “It all worked out in the end, though. And, for what it’s worth,” the young man flashed Jekyll a small, sheepish smile, “I thought you were kind of cool.”

The phrase sounded odd to the good doctor’s ears, and he raised an eyebrow. “Cool?”

“That… wasn’t a common phrase when you were alive, was it?” Jekyll shook his head, so Tatsumi continued. “Well, it means that I think what you did was awesome. And brave.”

“Letting _him_ out is neither awesome nor brave,” Jekyll sighed as he crossed his arms. He could feel Hyde’s glee at gaining their master’s approval, and the doctor was not going to allow his berserker half that satisfaction. “At best, it is the last resort of someone too weak to fight their own battles.”

“He still went away when you needed him to, though,” Tatsumi countered. “That’s what matters, right?”

Jekyll didn’t want to give Hyde credit for any good thing that happened. That was a slippery slope which led the berserker to toe the line time and time again until someone ended up dead. But he couldn’t deny that Tatsumi was correct. Hyde did relinquish control before any irreparable harm had been done. Jekyll could practically see the berserker smirking in their shared mind.

Glancing away from his master, not yet ready to openly admit that Hyde had done something right for once, the good doctor realized they were not the only ones in the room anymore. By the room Drake had come from, a latina woman stood leaning against the door frame. She looked to be around Jean’s age, although she was far more lanky. What drew Jekyll’s attention were the jagged scars running from her boy-cut, brown hair all the way down the left side of her face and neck before disappearing under her collar. Despite the horrific injury, she smiled when the duo saw her.

“Sorry,” she said, her Spanish-accented English rolling off the tongue. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Who are you?” Jekyll asked, wary of how quietly she’d snuck up on them.

“Tulia Chavares,” the woman answered without hesitation. “I’m Jean’s friend. Master of Saber.” She hobbled over to a small armchair, and Jekyll saw that she was resting a good deal of her weight on a sturdy-looking cane. “You two are… Berserker and Tatsumi, yes? Jean told me she just teamed up with you yesterday.”

“Yeah,” Tatsumi said, just as surprised to meet another friendly master as Jekyll was. “That’s right.”

“Nice to meet you,” Tulia grinned, her scars making it look a bit more menacing than she probably intended it to be. “Once you’re a bit more rested, we really should go over our information. One cannot start planning too early. Especially in a Grail War.”

Both men nodded in agreement, and soon Jean brought out plates of eggs, bacon, and waffles. As Tatsumi stuffed his face, they traded what little information they had and started on a plan. They would have to go after weaker Servants, getting them alone before finishing them off. It was a brutal tactic, but given the relative weakness of the three masters’ Servants, it was the best one they had.

Hyde buzzed in excitement in the back of Jekyll’s mind, and the doctor sincerely hoped he could control the berserker until his strength was needed again.

* * * * * * * * * *

Walden Springs lay nestled against the foothills of the Rockies. If one went far enough west, then one would find the orderly roads twisting and turning as they went further up in elevation. Go far enough, and one would reach the ski resorts and other such attractions. Between those and the town, however, were several picturesque mansions and estates. Most belonged to affluent families who needed a second or third house to visit during vacations, but a few could be rented by those slightly less wealthy families who still wanted to vacation in relative seclusion.

One such mansion, surrounded on all sides by at least a mile of evergreens, was currently being rented on the Clocktower’s dime. Four mages had been selected by the Mage’s Association to participate in this newest Holy Grail War, and so they were provided with housing for its duration. It wasn’t the most extravagant mansion available, but it did its job fine and allowed them to set up formidable defenses. Three of the four mages felt that their stronghold was impenetrable.

The only one who disagreed happened to be the master of Edmond Dantes. Miguel didn’t feel safe in that supposed fortress of magic, and so anytime Dantes had no mission, he returned to that mansion. It was why the avenger found himself floating through the shadowy halls, more smoke than man, with the fire at the core of his being silently smoldering.

Dantes saw the battle between Beowulf and Hyde. He found it almost beautiful how the two berserkers unleashed their fury without reservation, pain mixing with pleasure and madness until neither could tell where one feeling ended and the others began. The avenger almost wanted to join in the battle, throw his hat into the arena and lose himself to the bliss of destruction. But he had a duty to fulfil. His master required vengeance, and Dantes would be the boy’s tool to achieve it. The avenger knew his target; all he needed to do was wait for the right time to strike.

Jekyll would pay. Hyde would pay. The Association would pay. There would be blood and pain, and Dantes would make sure that Miguel saw it all. Saw that his revenge had been served. Yes, they would wait until that time arrived, then strike without mercy or hesitation. It would be glorious.

But until then, Dantes had to play the part of the loyal Servant. And that unfortunately meant interacting with the other Servants. Without a sound, the avenger drifted into one of the multiple living rooms where an older gentleman was entertaining himself with a stack of literature. Dantes was as silent as the grave, but the moment he got within a few feet, the silver fox set down his current book and turned to face the avenger.

“Greetings, Avenger,” he said cheerfully. “Isn’t it rather early to be skulking about in the shadows? I was under the distinct impression that midnight was the perfect time for such activities.”

“Archer,” Dantes very nearly growled. “Isn’t it rather early to be plotting world domination?”

Archer chuckled. “It’s never too early for that, but I’ve already set several plots in motion. Now we need only wait until the butterflies land in my web.”

_Plots… right…_ Dantes was more than familiar with Archer’s fondness for plots. It was practically written into his being. The avenger also enjoyed a good plot, but he was willing to bring out raw brute force when careful planning just wouldn’t do. “Was it a plot when you shot at that Berserker? Had he not leapt to his master’s aid, you would have given away your position.”

“Oh, you mean my dear Jekyll?” Once again, Archer chuckled. The ease with which Berserker’s true name rolled off his tongue sent chills down Dantes’s spine. Thankfully, the silver fox didn’t seem to notice. “I knew exactly what he would do. I risked nothing from forcing that boy out into the open.”

“You just felt like toying with him?”

Archer scoffed, “Nonsense! I wanted to see how easy it would be to force Jekyll to use his Noble Phantasm. Such information could prove instrumental should we find a use for him.”

_Not before I get my hands on him,_ Dantes mused, careful not to let the neutral look on his face slip. To Archer, he presented a disinterested facade. “Ah, so you _weren’t_ smiling when you pulled the trigger. And here I thought I saw so well in the dark.”

“No, what you saw was no mere trick of the light,” Archer purred. “Jekyll is such an interesting man to toy with. While I fired with the intent to gain knowledge, I must confess that it wasn’t the only reason.” He glanced back at the pile of books beside him with a wistful smile. “Stevenson was a great author, but his novelization just doesn’t do justice to how truly passionate our dear Henry can become. Witnessing his fall into despair was akin to viewing an explosion in slow motion: truly enthralling in how you could see every little bit of him crumble before being scattered to the winds.”

Dantes felt like he was going to be sick. He may have been an avenger, but he prided himself on destroying those who were rotten to the core. The way Archer spoke, he may as well have been talking about crushing a rare and fragile bloom. Dantes needed to unleash the fire at his core before it attempted to erupt upon the silver fox in front of him. Gritting his teeth, the avenger turned and walked away. “Enjoy your books,” he hissed as he dissolved back into the shadows, ready to hunt.

Ready to destroy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why did I choose to put so many characters in this fic? Why?!
> 
> ... At least Archer and Avenger are fun to write.


	7. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jekyll has a talk with Saber.

Once Tatsumi was shuffled off to bed to regain his lost mana, the women went out to get more food. Issun joined them for their protection, as his lack of presence meant fewer Servants would notice that they’d left their stronghold. While understandable, that left Jekyll alone in a house he wasn’t familiar with. Well, nearly alone.

Like an imposing statue, Saber stood a few paces away, arms crossed, watching the doctor try in vain to sit comfortably outside his master’s room. After what felt like hours, Jekyll finally just stood up.

“If you’re going to watch me like a hawk, would you at least tell me why?” the good doctor groaned. “If I’ve offended you in any way, then please let me know what I did wrong.”

Saber said nothing for several tense moments. Eventually, he straightened his back and cleared his throat. “I’m not offended. I’m concerned.” Before Jekyll could interject, the red-haired man raised his hand for silence. “I don’t trust you, and I believe it was a mistake to bring you here.”

Jekyll expected this kind of reaction from at least one other Servant, but it still hurt to hear. “I understand,” the doctor said when Saber lowered his hand. “I wouldn’t trust someone I only met a few hours ago, either.”

Slowly, Saber shook his head. “That’s not it. Not entirely, at least. You’re a Berserker-class Servant, correct?” The good doctor hesitated but nodded. With that, Saber sighed and continued, “Then, by your very nature, you are untrustworthy.”

_“Well, he ain’t wrong,”_ Hyde piped in from the back of their shared mind. Jekyll made a point of ignoring him, though that was a difficult task given the situation. The berserker was an instinctual being, and he grew impatient any time he sensed ill intent.

“Due to our Madness Enhancement? Am I close?”

Saber nodded. “You nearly killed your own master this morning. I would be the crazy one if I wasn’t wary of what you might do to Tulia.”

“No, I wouldn’t...!” Jekyll was surprised by the panic in his own voice. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. To hear Saber so casually imply that he might… The doctor felt the familiar chill of shame settle in the pit of his stomach as he remembered that everything the red-haired man said was true. “I won’t turn on Miss Chavares, Jean, or anyone else here. I swear it.”

“I know you speak in honesty, but your words mean nothing.” Saber narrowed his eyes, as if his gaze could equal a blade for sharpness. “Do you really think you are the one I worry about, Doctor Jekyll?” The doctor froze, and Saber nodded. “Yes, I know your true name, and I know what you’re capable of. If this were any other War, I would have cut you down the instant I laid eyes on you.”

Hyde roared in Jekyll’s mind, and the doctor was almost in agreement with his berserker half. A near tangible aura of danger had seeped into the air. Saber’s words weren’t hollow threats. Jekyll took deep breaths, trying to calm himself before he did something truly idiotic. _We’re fine,_ he thought, willing Hyde to understand. _This isn’t a normal Grail War. He won’t risk a battle here. We’re safe! I swear we’re safe!_

“However!” That single word cut through the haze of fear whirling in Jekyll’s head. Saber relaxed his stance, letting his arms fall to his sides in a conscious action to appear less threatening. In that same tone that demanded to be heard, the red-haired man continued, “The benefits of working with you currently outweigh the risks. I didn’t get to where I am by taking the safest path. As your trustworthiness is in question, I will allow you a chance to earn it.” He strode forward until he was less than an arm’s length away from the doctor, his brown eyes cutting right through him. “Refrain from releasing Hyde in Tulia’s presence. Do this, and we will have no issue.”

Hyde grumbled in the back of their mind, already aware of how Jekyll would respond.

“You have my word,” the good doctor said. “I will do everything in my power to keep my worse half from encountering Miss Chavares.” A nagging thought tugged at his conscience, though. Whether it was Hyde’s annoyed ramblings or his own sense of honesty, Jekyll wasn’t sure. Wringing his hands together, the doctor added, “However, if I need _his_ strength to protect Tatsumi, I may have to break my promise. I… I hope you understand.”

Saber let out a resigned sigh and took a step back. “I would be quite the hypocrite to deny you that. My primary goal here was to inform you of where I stand. I will not allow a Servant to hurt my master again.” With that, the red-haired man bowed his head and began walking away.

Something in his words gave Jekyll pause. “‘Again’?”

Saber halted in his tracks and turned back to the doctor. His even gaze still cut through Jekyll, but the barest hint of embarrassment flickered across his face.

“Did something happen earlier?” the good doctor inquired. “Miss Chavares seemed in good health…”

“No…” Saber looked away, as if pondering his next words carefully, constructing an answer that wouldn’t reveal any more than he was willing to share. “I don’t believe there’s any point to hiding this truth... It was in a previous Grail War. Tulia summoned me then, as well, but I was unable to protect her.” The red-haired man closed his eyes, his entire posture slumping from an invisible and intangible weight. “You’ve already seen the scars she bears from that attack.”

Jekyll gasped quietly. _She received that wound from a Servant?_ His thoughts raced, trying to piece together what could’ve possibly happened for the dark-skinned woman to receive such an injury. _I thought those were from a bear…_ “What Servant… did that…?” the good doctor breathed, curious yet ashamed to even ask.

Saber didn’t answer. Instead, he glared at Jekyll, eyes flashing in the half-light filtering in through the hallway windows. The doctor didn’t need an answer.

“Berserker…” Jekyll mumbled. “She… She’s lucky to be alive.”

“Yes,” Saber stated, his voice as flat and even as when he delivered his ultimatum. “She is.”

And with that, Saber strode off, leaving Jekyll alone at last.

* * * * * * * * * *

_The night was so beautiful. Darkness wrapped around the alleys and backways, hugging the city like a cloak. Hyde loved it. It hid his actions as he strolled through London, indulging in whatever pleasure struck his fancy. Fighting, fucking, flinging stones at passersby just to watch them flee in terror… such were the things he found worthwhile. Hyde practically skipped down the street in anticipation of what he would do next._

_As he rounded a corner, his path intersected with that of a gentleman going the other way. The man apologized profusely for running into Hyde, and something snapped. How dare he be so kind and polite! So good! So much like Jekyll… Hyde grabbed the man by the front of his shirt and threw him against the wall, grinning as he saw that man’s eyes widen in panic._

_Once. Twice. Three times… Hyde lost count as he threw punch after punch against the man’s pathetic defense. Streaks of red began to color his vision, and the man’s sharp cries for help trailed off as he slumped against the brick and mortar._

_Hyde didn’t care. He didn’t stop. He followed the man to the ground, hitting with all his strength over and over again. His heart was pounding, and all he could think of was how beautiful the night looked with the splash of blood red._

_When the haze of rage faded, Hyde stood back. The body before him hardly looked human anymore. His face was caved in and bloody beyond recognition, and the rest of him was hardly better._

_A small chuckle bubbled up in Hyde’s chest. He killed someone, and it was so much more exciting than he could have anticipated. His chuckle grew into a raucous laugh. Yes, this was fun._

_But the far off sound of screams and shouts reminded him that there were consequences to be had. Hyde huffed and ran a bloody hand through his hair. Usually, he cared for consequences about as much as he cared for being polite, but this was different. Hyde would face the gallows if anyone found out._

_Time to let Jekyll take care of the clean up. The doctor was quite good at it._

_Running back through the streets and back alleys, Hyde snuck into Jekyll’s home through the back door no one used. In the old store room where no one would see, Hyde relinquished control._

_Jekyll woke up slowly. He rarely paid attention when Hyde was in control, disgusted by how vulgar his bad side was at all times. He rubbed his face in an attempt to sharpen his focus._

_However, the instant his fingers touched his skin, Jekyll froze. He forced himself to look at his hands, though he suspected he knew why they smelled so strongly of iron. Blood soaked his gloves, the red liquid having also splashed across his forearms. Checking the rest of his person, Jekyll trembled at the sight of so much more blood than he’d ever seen outside of a surgery theater._

_His breath came in short bursts. The doctor knew what happened, yet could barely bring himself to admit it. Staring down at his blood-stained hands, Jekyll felt the weight of sin crash down around him._

_What else could he do but scream?_

 

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!” The young man woke with such a start that he threw the blankets off as he sat up. He almost didn’t recognize the scream that came from his own lips, but it made sense. He had just killed a man. No, Hyde killed a man. He was blameless. Quickly, the young man rubbed his hands together, worried that the blood was still there.

Almost in the same instant, Jekyll burst into the room. “Tatsumi, what’s wrong?” he nearly shouted, eyes wide as he sought out the source of his master’s distress.

The young man froze. Tatsumi… Right, that was his name. He was neither Jekyll nor Hyde. He was a college student who’d been dragged into some kind of grand melee he was intent on protecting others from.

_ Then why did that… dream feel so real? _ he thought, remembering where he was.  _ Was it… was it something that happened to Berserker? _

Upon failing to see what caused his master to cry out, Jekyll went beside the bed. The good doctor lay a hand on Tatsumi’s shoulder and the side of his face, worriedly searching his eyes as if he would find something there. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah,” Tatsumi stammered. Despite the lingering images of Hyde’s crime, Jekyll’s presence was like a cool breeze on a late summer day. He felt better - calmer - instantly once the doctor touched him. “J-just a… bad… bad dream.”

Jekyll furrowed his brow, worry swirling in his green eyes. “You’re sure? It sounded like…” His voice trailed off, and Tatsumi briefly wondered if the doctor knew what he saw.

That dream was almost certainly one of Jekyll’s memories, the moment when Hyde went from a minor annoyance to the bane of the doctor’s entire life. Tatsumi felt a pang of guilt at having witnessed something so personal, but all he could do at that moment was reassure Jekyll.

“I’m fine,” Tatsumi insisted. “Like I said… bad dream. I should get back to sleep.” It wasn’t a lie. His mana was still thoroughly exhausted, and Tatsumi already felt sleep tug at his eyes.

Jekyll relaxed, though not much. “If you say so,” he mumbled, withdrawing his hands and the momentary comfort they provided. “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to assist. Poor sleep can be even worse than none at all.”

Tatsumi paused tucking himself back in. “Well… could you… stay with me?” The request was ridiculous, like something he used to ask his mother when he couldn’t sleep. Quickly, he added, “I feel safer when you’re nearby.”

“Of course,” Jekyll smiled warmly. Without further prompting, he pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down.

Tatsumi wasn’t sure of what he did after that, as he fell asleep the instant his head hit the pillow. If any other dreams came to him, the young man was no longer scared by them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually based Tatsumi's dream off of a scene that happens in the original "Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde."


	8. Inspiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jekyll and Tatsumi go out on the town, and more Servants are met.

After a few days of nothing but rest - and a veritable feast of healthy foods which Jean seemed to conjure from nowhere - Tatsumi was ready to get out and do something. The few masters Tulia had information on were well-defended within their own estates, so they couldn’t make any decisive moves, but information was one resource they could obtain with relatively little danger.

Which was why Tatsumi and his Servant ended up walking around the downtown area, eyes peeled for anyone out of the ordinary and mana tuned to pick up the auras of any other heroric spirits.

“I feel… underdressed.”

Tatsumi glanced back at the good doctor, who was picking at the hem of his shirt. Despite what Jekyll said, the young man thought he was actually over-dressed. Servants rarely went out in public with the clothes they were summoned in, as armor and robes would look out of place in most cities. According to Jekyll, most Servants simply went into spirit form, but the doctor was adamant about remaining materialized so he could protect his master. After a quick discussion about how odd his clothes looked to modern people, Jean loaned the doctor some of her own clothes. The buff woman’s closet was full of graphic tank tops and obnoxious Hawaiian shirts, but Jekyll refused to wear anything less than khaki pants and a button up T-shirt, which they found after a fair amount of digging.

Tatsumi thought the casual dress quite suited Jekyll. “I think you look great.”

The good doctor jumped a bit, as if he hadn’t expected his master to say anything. The slightest hint of a blush colored his cheeks. It was so faint that Tatsumi wondered if he’d seen it at all.

“I, uh… thank you,” Jekyll managed to say after a moment passed. Quickening his pace, the doctor fell in step beside Tatsumi, though his eyes seemed to dart everywhere but at the young man. “My wardrobe aside, did you decide on a route for our observation? Miss Chavares mentioned that a few other masters would be staying at hotels, yes?” Waving a hand at the many shops lining the downtown streets, Jekyll continued, “None of these look like a hotel. Are we simply hoping to pass by other Servants?”

“Kind of,” Tatsumi shrugged. He wasn’t good at strategy, but walking right up to a potential safehouse for rival mages didn’t seem like the safest idea at the moment. “Do you think they’d really hide out during the day, though? I went a bit stir-crazy cooped up yesterday, and I had a good reason to stay put.”

“You have a point,” Jekyll nodded, briefly glancing at his master before returning his attention to their surroundings. His eyes narrowed before he added, “I do sense a faint presence somewhere in this vicinity. But I’ll have to get far closer to determine its location.”

“Okay,” the young man bobbed his head in agreement. Looking around at the various shops, however, Tatsumi felt the beginnings of hunger pangs gnawing at his stomach. During their discussion about the War, Tulia insisted that he keep his strength up, and so the young man knew he should eat soon. Apparently calories could be converted into mana. “Berserker,” he said almost timidly. “I’m getting a bit hungry. Mind if we stop for a bite?”

Jekyll took his eyes off the distant mountains to incline his head. “I’ve no objections. Where were you thinking of going?”

“Uh…” Tatsumi hadn’t actually thought of what he felt like eating. It wasn’t like he was dying of hunger right then. Glancing around, the young man spied a few food stalls set up along the sidewalk, the nearest of which sold hot dogs and burgers. “Hot dog sounds good.” Then, without thinking, Tatsumi added, “Do you want anything?”

Jekyll raised an eyebrow. “I believe I’ve told you that I don’t require sustenance. Please, don’t worry about me.”

Embarrassment washed over Tatsumi like a breeze. The good doctor had mentioned that during their first meal with Jean and Issun, but that meal felt so long ago. It was understandable that he wouldn’t remember. Yet something in the young man wanted to be obstinate, so instead of apologizing, Tatsumi dug in and said, “I know, but that’s not what I asked. Do you  _ want _ something to eat?”

“Do I want something…?” Jekyll parroted, looking rather baffled. He continued, although his words remained a bit hesitant, “I wouldn’t want to impose, but… if you’re offering… then I would enjoy trying one of these ‘hot dogs.’” He paused for a fraction of a second, then added, “They aren’t made of dog meat, are they?”

Tatsumi chuckled and shook his head. “Of course not. Hang on, I’ll be right back.” The young man made a quick detour to the food stand, returning to Jekyll’s side with a hot dog in each hand. Tatsumi couldn’t help but smile as the good doctor took the paper-wrapped morsel from his hand and inspected it as if he were unsure what the proper etiquette was for eating it.

“So, uh…” Tatsumi cleared his throat between bites. “What were we talking about?”

“I believe we were discussing which route to take today. There’s another Servant’s presence somewhere around here.” Jekyll waved his free hand at the web of intersections and public areas that populated downtown Walden Springs. “But I can’t pinpoint it yet.”

“Right…” Tatsumi looked around. No one nearby currently looked out of place, but that hardly meant anything. He and Jekyll also didn’t look out of place, and they were anything but ordinary. Well, Jekyll was, at least. Tatsumi took another few bites of his hot dog. “How about the park? That’s in the same general direction, right?”

The good doctor gestured for him to lead the way.

By the time the duo arrived at the edge of one of Walden Springs’s many parks, Jekyll had figured out how one ate a hot dog and apparently enjoyed it. More importantly, though, the presence he sensed had grown in strength, so much so that even the young master could feel it. Tatsumi could hear the calls of several larks and robins coming from the trees, but he couldn’t spare a moment to search for them. The hunt for other Servants took priority.

_ Later, _ the young master sighed internally.  _ There’ll be time later… but those birds sound so close. Damn it, I should’ve brought my camera. _ Scanning over the manicured grass and clipped hedges, Tatsumi tried to spot the source of the presence. “Any ideas?” he directed the question towards his friend.

“No,” Jekyll sighed. “It’s a rather powerful aura. Possibly belonging to one of the Knight classes. I know they’re nearby, but as to where exactly they are? No idea.”

“Alright, then.” Tatsumi firmly grasped Jekyll’s hand and began tugging him down the pathway. “Let’s see who’s here.”

The good doctor stumbled a bit at first, not expecting his master’s sudden enthusiasm. If he was honest, Tatsumi surprised himself at his boldness. Maybe it was the park, where the birdsong made him feel at home and at ease. Or maybe it was Jekyll himself. Despite knowing the doctor less than a week, Tatsumi trusted him. His concern was a bit overbearing at times, but the young man had never felt braver than when Jekyll was by his side.

_ Maybe he’s just the sort of person who’s easy to feel safe around, _ Tatsumi pondered, letting his eyes drift over the other joggers, dog-walkers, and studious college kids sharing the park with them.  _ Which is kind of odd, now that I think about it. Didn’t Hyde kill a bunch of people in the original story? And how accurate was the book, anyway? It would be rude to ask what parts of it were true, though, wouldn’t it? _

A tug on his hand brought Tatsumi back from his thoughts. Jekyll pointed to a couple sitting on a bench near an artificial pond. A girl with white-blonde hair was hanging off the arm of a very stoic man, who seemed indifferent to the multitude of affections she piled on him. He didn’t seem to care about anything going on around them, actually. That lack of interest didn’t dissuade the girl in the slightest.

“Are those fashions typical for this time?” Jekyll whispered, quiet enough that the couple wouldn’t understand what he said even if they heard him. “They looked a bit odd to me, but that may just be due to my lack of such knowledge.”

Tatsumi wasn’t sure if their outfits were typical, but he agreed with the doctor. The girl wore a pale blue dress trimmed with white lace that looked breezy but otherwise a bit too fancy for a day at a park. The man had a black suit on, which didn’t seem bizarre until he realized just how hot it must’ve been under so many layers of black clothing.

“No,” Tatsumi mumbled. “You’re right. That is kind of odd. Do you think-?”

Before he could finish, his phone made a short jingle that signaled he had a new text message. Tatsumi nearly jumped, extricating his hand from Jekyll’s to see who was trying to reach him.

“It’s Jean,” the young man said. He was about to go on, but the attention he’d drawn from the odd couple made him hold his tongue. “She wants to meet up.”

Tilting the phone, he showed Jekyll the message:

 

_ “Two Servants going at it. See ya at Madison Trail Park. Pls hurry.” _

 

As they read the first text, another popped up:

 

_ “Bring popcorn.” _

 

* * * * * * * * * *

Madison Trail Park turned out to be more of a hiking trail than an actual park. And not a very popular one, at that. Vegetation was reclaiming the pathway itself, and the trail signs were hidden behind large weed growths. Jekyll was surprised no one thought to simply block off the entrance and shut it down, though that might’ve been a wasted effort. The few people who still used the park probably wouldn’t think twice about jumping a fence.

Jekyll and Issun left their masters under Saber’s watchful eye and crept into the park. True to Jean’s earlier text, the good doctor could clearly sense two Servants past the trees and rising hills. Neither were quite as powerful as the one Jekyll sensed in town, but that meant very little. Even a weak Servant could prove dangerous, depending on who they were. Clutching his Noble Phantasm tightly, the good doctor proceeded down the path, with Issun hopping from tree to tree above.

_ “So, you’re walking into another battle, huh?” _ Hyde piped up, his voice not a real sound yet echoing in Jekyll’s mind nonetheless.  _ “Can’t wait to have some more fun.” _

Jekyll sighed and took a moment to steel himself. “This is a scouting mission,” he hissed under his breath. “Your skills will not be required.”

_ “Sure, sure.” _ Somehow, Hyde gave the impression that he was rolling his eyes.  _ “Guess you’re just holding onto the serum for safekeeping, then… Yeah, right. You’re worried, but you’re useless without me. Just admit it already.” _

Jekyll grit his teeth. He turned his attention back to the task at hand, but he couldn’t silence Hyde’s self-satisfied laughter. It was true; the doctor couldn’t even hold his own against an Assassin, much less the other classes. At least this time Tatsumi was with Jean and Tulia. If Jekyll was forced to fight, then releasing Hyde wouldn’t be as risky. The two women would make sure he didn’t run out of mana like before.

Stepping softly along the path, the good doctor began to hear shouts.  _ No, they aren’t shouting, _ Jekyll thought, creeping between the trees to conceal his approach.  _ It sounds more like… grandstanding? _

As he crested the last hill, Jekyll saw the commotion that had initially drawn Jean’s attention. A worn-down, concrete pavilion stood at the center of a clearing. Most of the picnic tables had been moved elsewhere, and the few left were in poor shape. A bearded man clothed in earthen tones stood opposite a blue-haired boy, and the two were engaged in battle. Actually, calling it such stretched the definition of the word “battle.” Instead of blades, both men held books, the weapon of choice for many Casters. Yet no magic sizzled in the air. To Jekyll, the scene reminded him of an aggressive poetry reading, with both parties firing off insults in such rapid succession that he only caught every other sentence. And even then, the good doctor didn’t understand what was going on.

After a minute of observing, Issun dropped down beside Jekyll without a sound. “Do… do you get this?” the small man asked, gesturing to the casters. “What even is going on?”

The good doctor shook his head. He was used to a bit of smack-talk between combatants, but this was ridiculous. No one fought with words alone. At least, not until today. “I am as confused as you are,” Jekyll admitted, glancing at the casters’ masters, who sat at tables on opposite sides of the pavilion.

The clean-shaven man behind the green caster appeared to be glaring at the Servants, while the other - a child barely into their teens - couldn’t have been less invested, all their attention directed at the Gameboy in their hands. Jekyll committed the masters’ faces to memory, although he wondered just how important such knowledge would be if their Servants were more interested in verbal jousting than clashing blades.

As the doctor watched, the green caster declared something that Jekyll actually understood: a scathing insult about the blue-haired boy’s ability to write a compelling narrative. It seemed like an inconsequential thing, but the blue-haired caster stiffened. Without another word, he walked over to the edge of the pavilion before falling face-first into the dirt.

_ “Oh hey,” _ Hyde chuckled.  _ “Looks like we just found your kindred spirit. Hey, hey, Jekyll! Go join him!” _

The good doctor groaned. He’d gotten used to Hyde’s mental commentary, but that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it. Doing his best to ignore the hints of laughter coming from his berserker half, Jekyll focused on the “battle” and its conclusion.

Green caster’s master jumped to his feet the moment blue caster hit the ground. “Finally!” he shouted. “Now finish him and be done with it!”

Raucous laughter erupted from the green caster, startling everyone present. “Now what reason would I have to do such a thing?” he asked, though it was obvious he expected no answer. “To slay such a master of the play of words wouldst be a tragedy most foul, but this tale has the bloom of a comedy. Wouldst thou rend the pages of a novel to make the ending come sooner? I think not.” With a flourish of his cape, the green caster turned towards his master and bowed. “Now then, Master, let us be away. This story shall continue another day.”

Jekyll could feel the fury radiating off the green caster’s master. He half expected a scream or a command spell to be expended, but the master instead took a deep breath and steepled his fingers. He said something too soft to hear and turned around, stalking away like a child. The green caster followed on his master’s heels, leaving the other master and Servant to recover.

After a few minutes of silence, during which the only sounds were those of birds and the soft sobs of the blue caster, Issun stood up and began making his way towards the defeated pair.

Jekyll grabbed the small man’s arm before he could make it two steps. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “They’ll see you.”

Issun blinked but didn’t try to free himself. “Well, duh. I’m gonna say hi.” When the good doctor didn’t let go, the small man added, “I’ve got a good feeling about these guys. Same feeling I got when I met you, actually. Come on, it couldn’t hurt.”

_ It could hurt more than you know, _ Jekyll thought. But there was some logic to Issun’s words. Neither caster resorted to magic during their bout, so it was a fair assumption that the blue caster wouldn’t do anything now. Jekyll didn’t feel good about revealing themselves, but a part of him wanted to see what would happen. He was at least mostly sure that the curiosity wasn’t coming from Hyde.

“Alright,” the doctor reluctantly agreed. Slowly, he let go of Issun’s arm and stood up. “But I’m coming with you. And be on guard. Jean still needs you, so don’t do anything reckless.”

“Have you met me?” Issun smirked as they strolled down the hill towards the defeated duo. “I’m physically incapable of doing something cautiously.”

Jekyll shook his head and sighed but followed regardless. Blue caster’s master had put their game down, sitting down beside their Servant and poking him with a stick. They still had an air of disinterest about them, but at least they looked up when Issun and Jekyll approached.

“Oh, hi,” the young teen said before going back to poking the sobbing caster. “You saw all that?”

“Yup!” Issun chirped as they came to a stop. “It’s why we’re here.”

Jekyll shifted from foot to foot. So far, nothing seemed dangerous, but that didn’t mean much. Hesitantly, he spoke, “I’ve never seen a battle between Servants quite like that before.”

The teen shrugged. “Andersen’s useless in a real fight. So am I. We’re just having fun.”

_ You consider this “fun?” _ Jekyll thought to himself, glancing between the blue caster - Andersen, presumably - and his master.  _ In what universe is lying facedown in the dirt “fun?” _

“So,” Issun continued, eyebrows raised, “I’m gonna assume you’re not after the Grail, then. Am I close?”

“You’re right,” the young teen nodded, tearing their attention from Andersen to look up at the other Servants. “Don’t know what I’d do with it anyway. Name’s Micah. Who’re you two?”

* * * * * * * * * *

Of all the possible outcomes of Andersen’s sudden desire to engage Green Caster in a match of verbal jousting, Micah least expected to meet another group of amiable masters. Once introductions were out of the way, Issun and Berserker lead the young teen back to the park entrance, where their own masters were waiting. Micah ended up carrying Andersen on their back all the way to the parking lot. Not that is was an issue; the blue caster wasn’t that heavy.

One explanation later, and Micah was ready to sign up with these new masters. Well, almost ready.

“So, let me get this straight,” Jean said as she leaned back against her car, “you’ve also formed a little band of masters who don’t want to win the Grail War? And you’re just, kinda, putzing around?”

“More or less,” Micah answered. If they were being honest with themselves, the young teen wasn’t even really putzing about. They’d spent the first few days just chatting with Andersen. Or maybe that was exactly what “putzing about” meant. “Remmel might be doing something useful, but Torrey and I aren’t. You guys sound like you’re doing something pretty cool, though. Wanna team up?”

“Don’t you want to discuss such an alliance with your own allies first?” Saber inquired. He glanced between the other members of his team, making eye contact with each one before adding, “I think we should also discuss any further team-ups amongst ourselves, as well.”

“Good point,” Micah nodded. “Well, give me a call if you decide you want to. My friends are pretty chill. I don’t think they’d mind.”

“Cool,” Jean said, flashing them a smile and a thumbs-up. “Will do.”

There wasn’t much conversation after that. Micah was never good at talking, and so the moment numbers were exchanged, they said their goodbyes and began the walk back to Doctor Remmel’s house. With any luck, Andersen would be over his hissy fit by the time they made it back.

But probably not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is Inspiration, but I wish I'd had more while writing it. I might have skipped this chapter entirely if it didn't introduce Micah and Andersen. @.@


	9. Fools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes rush into a bad situation.

“Guess whose contacts just came through.”

Tatsumi looked up from the birding book in Jekyll’s hands to see Tulia standing in the living room entrance. She leaned on her cane just as much as always, but in her free hand she held a small slip of paper with small, neat handwriting.

“What did you find out?” the young man asked.

Tulia smiled softly, glancing between the men gathered in the living room. “Are you familiar with the Bennetto family?” When Tatsumi shook his head, she continued. “They’re a relatively new family of mages. Not as new as Jean or I, but still not well established. Anyway…” The crippled mage waved her hand dismissively. “That’s not important. None of their current members have good potential, so I didn’t think they would participate in this War, but it turns out that Command Spells appeared on one Lowen Bennetto a few months back.” Looking at Jekyll, Tatsumi, and the surprisingly quiet Issun in turn, Tulia winked. “And he’s staying at his family’s mansion just outside town.”

“You… you got a location this time?” Tatsumi’s eyes flicked between the paper in Tulia’s hand and Jekyll’s expectant gaze.

Over the past few days, the women’s contacts had only been able to send them the names of a few potential masters. It was more than the young man had when he first summoned Jekyll, but it barely helped when they couldn’t predict where the next skirmishes would occur. Tatsumi could still feel the ache in his legs that came from running around the city, chasing the tail-end of fight after fight. Thankfully, no bystanders had been hurt so far, besides the few vagrants and druggies Issun found decapitated before they met, but that just meant their luck would be running out sooner than later. They had to start eliminating Servants, and they needed to do it soon.

Knowing where one of the masters was hiding, though, their little, ragtag group could corner them and their Servant. With that slip of paper, they were one step closer to eliminating a potential threat to the safety of the city. Tatsumi hopped out of his seat, practically dragging the good doctor with him in his excitement.

“Eager to get to work?” Tulia chuckled.

“Not until after dinner!” Jean shouted from the kitchen. “Stroganoff’s nearly done.”

_ Oh, right… _ Tatsumi lowered his head as his cheeks began turning red.  _ I am pretty hungry. I guess we don’t have to do anything immediately. _

Jekyll joined in with the soft chuckling, laying a friendly hand on the young man’s shoulder. “We needn’t leave at once. Besides, would it not be prudent to discuss a plan first?”

“N-no, you’re right,” Tatsumi stammered, unsure why he was feeling so embarrassed. He sat back down with the good doctor, continuing their chat while Jean finished cooking.

The trio of masters discussed their plan over dinner. They would send a few Servants in to investigate the grounds, checking defenses and seeing which Heroic Spirit the Bennetto boy summoned. If all went well, there would be no need for combat unless a good opportunity presented itself.

After dinner, the trio gathered some defensive magicks, along with plenty of food for Tatsumi, and piled into Jean’s car and ventured into the gentrified region of the foothills where this potential master resided.

* * * * * * * * * *

“You know, I’m starting to think this was a bad idea.”

Hyde nodded. Of course, any scenario that resulted in both he and Saber crouching behind a tree to avoid a rampaging elephant qualified as a “bad idea”, so there wasn’t much room to argue even if the berserker felt like it.

_ This is all Jekyll’s fault, _ Hyde thought as he glowered at anything and everything.  _ Now we’re gonna die because of his stupid, stupid, stupid idea! _

From the back of their shared mind, the good doctor gave an approximation of a sigh.  _ “I never suggested we attempt to fight. I merely stated that we might be able to take Rider out in one shot while he was unaware. Obviously, I didn’t expect our Saber to miss.” _

Hyde grumbled and turned his focus back to the battle at hand. He would be the last person to admit that he’d been just as eager to attack this rider as his allies. Maybe even more so.

Once their group was well into the mountains, Jean had parked her car at a nearby park, and they proceeded on foot. Jekyll and Saber took point, slinking through the trees towards the mansion proper to see what could be seen. Magical defenses littered the forest, but the property was devoid of a solid barrier, making it easy for the two Servants to avoid so long as they kept their distance from the mansion itself.

There, they spied Rider patrolling the estate, a grizzled man wearing chainmail and carrying a spear and hoplon shield. As he appeared completely unaware of their presence, Jekyll  _ had _ suggested a sneak attack. Hyde was astonished by his meek half’s deviousness, but the berserker knew that Jekyll just wanted to eliminate the threat to his precious master’s life. And so Saber enacted a hastily conceived plan.

But things in this War rarely went according to plan.

Another Servant intercepted Saber’s attack. He came seemingly out of nowhere, the shadows clinging to his black, plate armor like flames to a pyre. His eyes flashed the same gold color of his hair, and he effortlessly batted Saber’s sword aside with his own blade. At least, Hyde thought it was a blade, as invisible winds swirled around it, hiding the weapon from view.

Saber and Jekyll - who quickly handed control over to Hyde - scrambled to find a more defensible position. They were safe for the moment, but with Rider’s elephant trampling all the vegetation in his path, that wouldn’t remain the case for long.

“Tatsumi must know that something’s not right, though,” Saber said, almost to himself. “So, our masters should’ve called for backup. If we can keep Rider and Dark Saber from coordinating their attacks, then we may be able to hold out until Micah’s friends arrive.”

Hyde scrunched his face in confusion for a moment. By and large, the berserker hadn’t paid attention when the group was discussing their newest “allies,” so it took a moment before he remembered who Saber was referring to. At which point he scoffed, “No need. I can take them out by myself.”

The red-haired man narrowed his eyes at the berserker. “There’s no doubt you are a strong Servant. However, our opponents are also rather powerful. If you cannot exercise caution, then you may as well return control to your other half.”

That lit the fire in Hyde’s chest far better than any rousing speech could. “Like Hell I will!” the berserker snapped. “You want caution? I’ll show you caution!”

_ “You’ve a funny way of going about it,” _ Jekyll commented, rolling his non-existent eyes.  _ “Just follow whatever plan Saber has in mind, alright?” _

Less than a stone’s throw away, the elephant knocked down another set of trees. Rider gave commands from the beast’s back, the specifics of his words lost to the cacophony of angry trumpetting.

Hyde growled, made suddenly aware of just how close they were to danger. “Okay, okay, I’ll be cautious. What’s the plan, then? Spit it out already.”

Saber nodded, a smug grin gracing his serious features. “Keep Rider occupied. He seems to be the greater threat for the moment. I’ll try to lead Dark Saber away. Once reinforcements arrive, I’ll keep him away while you all finish Rider off.”

“Now that’s a plan I can get behind,” the berserker chuckled. “Now?”

“Now,” Saber nodded.

Hyde wasted no time launching himself at the elephant’s side. It was a giant beast, easily twice the berserker’s height and covered in armor, but that simply made it easier for Hyde to target its joints. The beast howled in pain as the berserker dug his knife into the thick hide of its forelimb, stumbling as it shifted its considerable weight to its other legs.

“That will only work once!” Rider shouted, striking down at the berserker from his perch.

Hyde didn’t care. Whether or not he could surprise Rider again wasn’t as useful as the enemy Servant seemed to think. All he needed was to avoid falling underfoot, where the elephant could crush him faster than he could regenerate. Rider’s spear may as well have been a toothpick compared to that danger.

The sounds of clashing steel came from a fair ways off, though Hyde gave it only as much attention as required. The berserker wasn’t much for strategy, but any plan that allowed him to go all out against an enemy was welcome. And so, Hyde continued assaulting Rider with nicks and scrapes, reveling in the splashes of red coloring the grass, confident that the dueling sabers would keep each other occupied.

The berserker lost track of time, the joy of battle pushing all other concerns aside. All he needed was the thrill of the fight, urged on by the frantic pounding of his heart. Only when a volley of arrows struck the elephant’s flank did Hyde snap back to reality. He leapt back on instinct to avoid being hit, although he was obviously not the intended target. As Rider reoriented himself to account for the newest foes, Hyde finally noticed the newest Servants who entered the fray, coming from the same direction he and Saber had initially approached from.

At the front was a white-haired man carrying a shield even taller than himself. To his side, a woman wearing a crimson jacket kept pace, her gaze focused intently on Rider and his injured mount. Up in the trees, keeping her distance from the fighting, another woman crouched. She was the same woman Jekyll noticed during Beowulf’s fight with the dragon-helmeted saber, though now she kept her bow nocked and at the ready.

_ “Micah’s allies,” _ Jekyll interjected helpfully.  _ “At least, they fit their descriptions.” _

Hyde scoffed at the doctor’s comments. Of course, he already knew that; Jekyll didn’t have to say it. Out loud, he smirked, “Well, well, well, look who showed up? Nice of you to join the party.”

The red-clad nurse leveled a glare at the berserker, but Shielder regarded him calmly. “Where’s Saber?” the white-haired man asked. When Hyde motioned towards the mansion, to the sounds of clashing steel, Shielder nodded and looked at the nurse. “Red, help Saber. We’ll deal with this… Rider.”

The nurse - Red - nodded once and sped off, keeping well out of Rider’s range. Hyde sensed that she was a powerful Servant, almost on par with the knight classes, but her appearance gave no hint as to her actual class. Not that it mattered.

Rider didn’t spend long reassessing his new situation. Under most circumstances, a single Servant would retreat at such a disadvantage, but he stood his ground. “You believe me outmatched?” Rider said, deliberately raising his shield and hefting his spear. “We shall see. Come at me, then!”

Hyde growled and took a step forward, but he stopped as he felt Shielder’s arm on his shoulder. Turning his glare on the white-haired man, the berserker huffed, “What? You want to sit down with him for tea and fucking biscuits or something?”

“He is gathering energy,” Shielder said without taking his eyes from Rider. “For a Noble Phantasm. Please, stand behind me for now.”

“Like Hell I will!”

Shielder tightened his grip until it actually hurt the berserker. The pain cut through Hyde’s bloodlust, and he ceased his struggle. He would listen, but he wouldn’t like it.

“It is for your benefit that I leave my master’s side,” the white-haired man stated. “You shall have your chance, but for now, allow Archer and I to give you an opening.”

_ “He has the right idea,” _ Jekyll piped up.  _ “You weren’t making much headway by yourself.” _

Hyde grumbled but stepped back anyway. At that point, even the crazed berserker could tell that Rider was about to use his Noble Phantasm. His blood boiled at the mere thought of taking orders, but his rather thin patience hadn’t worn out yet. If the berserker could get his knife at Rider himself, instead of his mount, then Hyde would see what his new allies had in mind.

As if on cue, Rider raised his spear - now glowing with white light - and raised his voice to the heavens. “You have left yourselves defenseless! Cannae--”

In the same moment, Shielder held his shield aloft, raising his voice for the first time. “Lord--”

“--Victoria!”

“--Camelot!”

Like practiced dancers, the two Servants moved in tandem. Rider swung his spear forward as Shielder slammed his shield into the ground. Hyde flinched at the release of so much energy, nearly missing what occured when those two Phantasms met.

From both the left and the right, spectral horsemen and soldiers struck at Hyde and Shielder’s flanks. They came so swift and with such force that the berserker had no doubt he would’ve perished were it not for the white, castle walls which sprang into existence all around them. It felt as if a cushion settled over Hyde’s entire body, like the walls were a mere phantom image and pure resolve and honor were protecting him from harm. The berserker reeled at the wholesomeness of this new sensation, but Rider’s shocked expression more than made up for it.

A tug on Hyde’s arm pulled him away from his amusement. Archer had moved from her perch to the men’s side, speaking softly and clearly, “Throw me into the air as hard as you can. When Rider falls, you strike.”

A horrid grin spread across Hyde’s face, and he didn’t hesitate to grab the small woman and chuck her skyward. He simply wanted to keep fighting, and this night had gotten so much more interesting. His eyes flicked between Archer and their foe, who moved to defend himself before realizing, too late, that he wasn’t her target. Aiming her bow mid-flight, she unleashed a volley of arrows that struck true, piercing the elephant’s skull.

The beast let out an unnatural howl as it crashed to the ground, dissolving into millions of gold motes upon impact. Rider yelped and fell as gracefully as one could, but he needed a moment to scramble to his feet and reorient himself.

Hyde didn’t give him that chance.

As soon as the grizzled man hit the dirt, the berserker rushed forward. He attempted to slash at his fallen foe’s neck, but Rider knocked the knife to one side. Not a huge setback for Hyde, who reveled in all methods of murder. The berserker grappled with the grizzled man, trying to get his hands around Rider’s throat, and Rider did his best to fight the berserker off. Given time, Hyde would almost certainly overpower his adversary and snuff out his spirit core.

However, Hyde’s allies weren’t privy to that bit of information. As the berserker and rider struggled, Shielder called out, “Archer! Now! Berserker is still under my protection!”

“What?!” Hyde yelled, sparing a glance to see where Archer had landed.

The small woman stood off to the side, leveling her bow at the men wrestling with each other. Wind and light swirled around the nocked arrow, and Hyde didn’t need to sense any energy to know what it was.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” the berserker shouted.

Still in that soft, calm voice, Archer declared the name of her Noble Phantasm, “Haradhanu Janaka.”

And then she fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fight scenes are still not my forte, which may explain part of why this took so long to write. I also struggled with the name and effect of Hannibal's Noble Phantasm, so apologies if his fight didn't make as much sense as it could've. Given how small his role in the story is, I didn't want to stress out over it too much.


	10. Lifeline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jekyll sees a familiar "face."

Jekyll felt the arrow pass through the body he shared with Hyde, but whatever harm it would’ve done slid off the soft cushion of protection Shielder provided. Hyde - possibly out of panic - relinquished control back to the good doctor, so he had a front row view to the effects Archer’s attack had on Rider.

Light consumed the grizzled Servant, tearing through his spirit core so thoroughly that Jekyll was stunned to see him standing once the energy faded. The good doctor kept his hold, however, unsure if Rider would use his last remaining moments of life to strike at him.

“Seems I’ve been out-maneuvered,” the dying Servant chuckled. His body began dissolving into the same, golden motes his mount had just moments before. “Doesn’t matter. She’ll destroy you, whether I’m here to witness it or not.” His body remained corporeal just long enough for him to give one final laugh, and then Rider was gone. Only then did Jekyll relax his hold.

“Well,” the good doctor said, his nerves still frayed from being at the center of a Noble Phantasm, “that wasn’t ominous in the slightest.”

A gauntleted hand on his shoulder made Jekyll jump slightly and whirl to see that Shielder had come to his side. The white-haired man wore a solemn face, though the tiniest hint of a sheepish smile crept in.

“I must apologize to you,” Shielder said. “There was too little time to inform you of our plan. I hope you understand why we did what we did.”

“Y-yes,” Jekyll nodded. “I understand it now… Though it would’ve been nice to have some forewarning, though.”

“Then you shall have it, if or when my master deems it necessary for me to leave her side again.”

Lowering his hand, the white-haired man turned his attention to the surrounding forest. Jekyll hadn’t noticed earlier, but the sounds of battle had ceased completely, which could only mean one thing. “Saber must have finished his fight,” the doctor said hopefully. “Should we join him and… Red, was it?”

Shielder opened his mouth to say something, but whatever he had to say was cut off by a vicious howl. Within moments, it was joined by dozens more, each piercing the quiet like a knife until they faded. Terror gripped Jekyll’s mind as he realized that he couldn’t match the howls with any existing creature.

Archer gazed at the origin of the sound, narrowing her eyes before saying, “Chimeras. Over twenty, at least. And they’ve scattered.” Jekyll was about to ask how she knew, but he remembered how Archer-class Servants had the best vision out of all of them. Suddenly, she turned to the doctor and Shielder. “They aren’t headed for us. Where are your masters?”

Jekyll felt his heart skip a beat or three. Issun was protecting Tatsumi and Jean, but with that many chimeras, even a Servant could be overwhelmed. Shielder had already turned on his heel and left at full speed, abandoning politeness to return to his master. The good doctor couldn’t blame him. As soon as the words left Archer’s mouth, Jekyll ran. He had to protect his master.

* * * * * * * * * *

Tatsumi barreled through the forest. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew that he shouldn’t just run - that he should have some idea where he was going - but the monstrosity pursuing him drove all rational thought from his mind. The young man had been in peril numerous times during the Grail War, but this was an entirely new terror. Something primal that came from being pursued by something that intended to eat him.

That primal fear was what drove him away from his allies, back when the beast first appeared. In his haste to get away, Tatsumi hadn’t noticed where Jean or Tulia went. Now he was all alone.

“Help!” the young master cried out.

But his attempts at shouting were drowned out by the beast’s hearty roars. With each step, it drew closer to him, and Tatsumi wondered if it was merely toying with him, like the cat it’s head resembled. He didn’t have time to consider that line of questioning, though, as his foot caught on an exposed root, sending him tumbling to the dirt.

_ That’s it, _ he thought, that single idea cutting through his panic.  _ I’m dead. _

“Master!”

Tatsumi curled into a fetal position, throwing his hands over his head as if that would protect him. But the strike never came. Instead of dagger-like claws tearing through his back, the beast howled in pain and collapsed beside the downed master. Tatsumi yelped as the ground shook from the impact but didn’t move. Terror now controlled him, yelling that if he stayed still, he might survive.

“Master? I-I’m not too late. I’m sure of that.”

A gentle hand touched Tatsumi’s shoulder, and the young man hazarded a glance at whomever had come to his aid. Jekyll knelt beside him, eyes wide and focused on his master, despite his own clothing being awash in blood.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?” the good doctor inquired. His normally soft voice cracked ever so slightly as he looked his master over.

The next thing Tatsumi realized, he’d thrown his arms around Jekyll and began crying into his shoulder. “Thank you!” the young master choked out. “I… was so… Thank you…”

“I’m sorry,” Jekyll said, hesitantly returning Tatsumi’s hug, “that I couldn’t get here sooner. But now, I’ll stay by your side until your safety is secured.”

The young master nodded. He didn’t want to let go of his Servant and lose the temporary comfort he provided, but their safety was still in question. Tatsumi allowed the good doctor to lift him to his feet before letting go. 

“What was that thing?” the young master asked quietly as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “It looked like a tiger, but…”

“We believe it was a chimera,” Jekyll replied. He took Tatsumi’s hand and led him through the trees, away from the creature’s corpse. “And there are several more still roaming the forest. I’m loathe to rush you, but we need to get as far away as we can.”

Tatsumi numbly nodded, his attention drawn to how warm and reassuring the doctor’s hand was. Somehow, Jekyll’s arms felt more secure and comforting than a blanket. He wondered if Jekyll would find it odd if he requested another embrace once they’d made it to safety.

A few minutes passed as they hustled through the forest, the only sound that of their footsteps and breathing. Tatsumi wasn’t entirely sure if they were headed the right direction, but he trusted Jekyll to lead them away from the worst danger. The young master hazarded a glance behind them as they passed a particular large oak. He didn’t know why he did so, but Tatsumi was glad he did.

A dark figure crouched upon the branches of that old tree, their face hidden behind a mask in the shape of a skull. Without a sound, they dropped to the ground and charged, aiming a wicked blade at Jekyll’s back.

Tatsumi’s body felt like it moved on its own. He tore his hand from Jekyll’s grasp and dove at the dark figure, aiming to grab their arm and keep the knife from reaching its target. His right eye tingled as it drew in mana, the magic circuits activating seemingly without input. The dark figure halted for a moment’s breath as his Mystic Eye froze them in place, and that was all he needed to grasp their arm and pull the blade from their hand. His skin tingled as it came in contact with the dark figure’s skin, but he didn’t give it much thought.

It was only then that Tatsumi got a good look at the dark figure. She was a girl who must’ve been around his age, her lavender hair cut short. She wore a skintight suit that was little more than strips of cloth covering what she needed to be considered “decent.” Tatsumi nearly let go.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, turning her attention to the young master.

“I won’t let you hurt Berserker!” Despite his words, Tatsumi didn’t actually know what he intended to do now that he’d caught the masked girl. He hadn’t acted with a plan in mind, and now his thoughts were beginning to fog and cloud.  _ Why… can’t I think? Everything feels… so slow now… _

The tingling in his hands grew until it felt like a thousand needles were being pushed into his flesh, yet he couldn’t pull away. Tatsumi’s body was going numb, starting with his fingers and traveling up his arms. And the sharp pain followed, both distinct and dulled, as he found it increasingly hard to draw a breath.

“That was foolish,” the masked girl sighed, almost sadly. “You’ve only hastened your death. I’m sorry.”

Tatsumi only half heard her, as his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

* * * * * * * * * *

“No, no, no! Not again!” Jekyll screamed. He should’ve been more aware of their surroundings, but the first hint he got that something was wrong was Tatsumi’s hand leaving his grasp. The good doctor turned around too late to stop his master from grabbing the violet-haired assassin’s arm.

Memories rushed back at the sight of her… the sharp pain as his contract was severed, the dull look in Tatsumi’s lifeless eyes, the rage before he gave in to Hyde’s madness. Fear gripped Jekyll’s heart as he saw the same thing happening yet again, at being helpless to protect the one person he promised to keep safe.

The good doctor rushed to catch Tatsumi, just in time to keep his head from hitting the hard ground. The Assassin - Hassan, he was sure that was her name - leapt back, out of his reach, but Jekyll paid her little mind. He quickly examined his master on the off chance he could do something.

Tatsumi was alive, but the rattle in every shaky breath hinted that wouldn’t be the case much longer. His body trembled, and his eyes were unfocused. Jekyll recognized the signs of Hassan’s poison, but he hadn’t brought any antidote supplies with him. Even if he had, the good doctor wasn’t sure he’d be able to make a suitable antidote in time.

_ “Nice job, Jekyll,” _ Hyde scoffed.  _ “You kept him alive for… what? A week? Dammit, I thought I was gonna have more fun this time.” _

“Oh, you’ll have more fun,” Jekyll hissed, laying Tatsumi gently on the ground. He stood up and glared at Hassan, reaching for the vial in his vest pocket. “If I can’t save him, then you’ll just have to avenge him.”

The violet-haired assassin took a step back as Jekyll uncorked the vial and raised it to his lips. She knew when to be cautious, he’d give her that much.

Before he could utter his Noble Phantasm’s name, the crash of footfalls racing towards them made the good doctor pause. Another woman came barrelling through the trees, sliding to a stop mere feet from Tatsumi.

“Red?” Jekyll asked automatically.

The woman’s red coat was torn, and blood ran down her arms and face, though how much of it was hers was unknown. She ignored the good doctor’s question, sharp eyes flicking between Tatsumi and Hassan. “My instincts were correct,” Red stated. “You are all in need of emergency treatment. Remain still while it is administered.”

Jekyll wanted to ask what she meant, but the determined look in her eyes stayed his tongue. He held his Phantasm vial close to his chest, ignoring Hyde’s whining to let him destroy Hassan. It wasn’t much, but the nurse’s words sparked an ember of hope that Tatsumi could be saved. He didn’t want to ruin that chance by letting his evil side loose.

“I will purge all that is toxic, all that is harmful,” Red spoke, planting her feet shoulder-width apart. “For as long as I wield this power, I shall lead everyone to happiness.” Energy began whirling around her, and a giant, spectral nurse materialized behind her, holding a giant cleaver aloft. A moment of silence took hold of the area, in which the other Servants readied to dodge the ghostly blade, and then Red pointed at Hassan. “Nightingale Pledge!”

The spectral nurse brought her blade down, but as it hit the ground, a wave of healing energy rushed from the impact. Jekyll felt his wounds and fatigue fade away the moment the wave touched him. Hassan looked quite the opposite, going down to one knee and visibly shaking, as if she could barely stay upright. Next to the doctor, Tatsumi gasped and crawled to his feet, a bit unsteadily but far healthier than he’d been moments before. Jekyll placed himself between his master and the violet assassin, but such protectiveness proved unnecessary.

“Seems I’m forced to retreat,” Hassan whispered, obviously not caring if the rest of them heard. Without another word, she vanished.

Jekyll waited until he was sure the assassin was gone before he relaxed. “Tatsumi?” he asked, turning to the young master. “Are you…?”

“I’m fine,” Tatsumi answered, though his words were shaky. “What was that?”

“An Assassin-class Servant,” he managed to say. The rest of his explanation was cut off as Red went right up to the young master and began inspecting him.

“Treatment successful,” she said. A small smile graced her lips, but it couldn’t soften the single-minded determination in her gaze. “Commencing follow-up treatment. The patient must be taken to a safe location for recovery.”

“We were just doing that,” Tatsumi answered. “Our friends should be somewhere nearby…”

“Then we shall rendezvous with them. Where is your meeting location?” Red practically demanded.

“The parking lot, I believe,” Jekyll offered. He still wasn’t sure what had just occurred, but that could most certainly wait until they were safe.

“Very well, then.” Without a single warning, Red grabbed both men and slung them over her shoulders with ease. “Hang on.”

“Hang on to what?” Jekyll exclaimed, but he didn’t receive an answer as the red-clad nurse began running towards what he hoped was the same parking lot their group had started at.


	11. ~ Interlude ~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some snippets of the summonings which occurred before the Grail War began.

_ Several weeks ago… _

With one last line of chalk, the circle was complete. Tulia got to her feet, using her cane to pull herself up. It had been years since she drew this particular symbol, though back then, she wasn’t crippled. The limp no longer bothered her, but she still couldn’t walk more than a few steps without support.

Sighing, Tulia stood back. She chose a deserted basketball court for this ritual. Normal people stayed away from it, owing to the magical seals guarding the leylines beneath it. That was the only reason she felt secure using magic in this location. Plus, the convergence of so many leylines meant that the summoning would go smoothly.

On the opposite side of the circle lay a relic, the torn remains of a ship’s sail. If one held it close and inhaled deeply, one could catch the faintest hint of perfume clinging to the tattered threads. During that first Grail War, she didn’t know who she would summon. All she knew was that some great hero was connected, however tenuously, with this relic.

Now, the crippled mage knew exactly who she’d summon.

Taking a deep breath, she extended her hand towards the circle, the crimson Command Spells distinct against her tan skin. “Heed my words,” she said, the incantation rolling off her tongue, “my will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny…”

Energy swirled around the white lines, growing in strength with each word Tulia uttered. At one point, such a surge of magical power would knock her to her knees. Now, it was familiar, the waves of energy as easy to ride as the gentle rocking of a boat. She closed her eyes just as the spell reached its peak, keeping the light from blinding her as the Grail pulled a Heroic Spirit from its home in the Throne of Heroes.

When the light faded, Tulia blinked, focusing on the man now before her. He was just as she remembered him, clad in Roman armor, with his red hair tied back.

Immediately, the Servant knelt and bowed his head. “May I ask,” he said slowly, “are you the one who summons me?”

Tulia smiled. Even if he didn’t recognize her, it was reassuring to see him once more. “I am,” she replied. “And if you don’t mind me saying, it’s good to see you again… Antony.”

The Saber-class Servant stiffened and raised his head, eyes widening as if he’d only just now seen her. “Tulia?” he breathed. Swiftly, Saber rose and strode towards his master, gingerly grasping her hands. “Why… Why did you summon me? I failed you once before...”

“You didn’t fail.” Tulia shook her head, giving the Servant’s hands a gentle squeeze. “I wasn’t a good master, nor a good mage. This time, I’m prepared.”

“But…”

The crippled master pulled her hands out of Saber’s grasp and drew him into a hug. “I’d rather have your loyalty than anyone else’s strength,” she declared, her voice leaving no room for argument. “I’ve got a plan this time, and I’ve got allies. We won’t have a repeat of the last War. I swear it.”

Saber’s shoulders slumped in resignation, and he held her tenderly. “I suppose I have no choice but to trust your resolve,” he sighed, touching his forehead to hers. “And… it does my heart good to see you once more.”

Tulia smiled. Mark Antony was far from the strongest of Sabers, but there truly was no one she’d rather have at her side.  _ Yes, this War will be different, _ she thought.  _ This time, we’ll win. _

* * * * * * * * * *

Miguel Chavares slowly unwrapped the parcel, revealing a box with a crumbling stone inside. The other masters from the Association raised more than a few eyebrows at his relic request, but Miss Tilanya came through for him. This stone had made the long trip from France to the Magus College in New York at her behest, regardless of the other masters’ concerns. She waved away their worries that the King of the Cavern would most likely betray them, citing how the young Chavares boy was cunning enough to keep such a Servant in check and loyal enough to remain faithful to the Association’s cause.

Miguel almost felt guilty. Almost.

Setting the stone by the prepared circle of ash, the young magus began the incantation. “Heed my call…”

He recited the words automatically. He had practiced enough that he didn’t even have to think about them. Instead, Miguel focused on his intentions, how he would use the Grail to bring the Association down. Years had passed since the last War, yet those fancy lords and ladies at the top hadn’t so much as lifted a finger to repair the damage those battles had inflicted. That, in and of itself, was enough to leave an ember smoldering in the young magus’s soul, but it didn’t end there.

His big sister - his only sister - was left in horrible condition once the fighting ended. She got better, yes, but never truly recovered. That, above all else, was unforgivable.

The summoning circle shrieked from the ground, pulling the relic into its center. The rock couldn’t survive such immense power and crumbled to dust as the spell reached its crescendo. Power exploded from the circle, and Miguel fell backwards, blacking out for an instant as his head hit the ground.

“You called?”

Miguel squinted up at the dark form of his Servant. The man was clothed in black, his cloak whipping about in a nonexistent wind. The shadows seemed to cling to him, as if tempting him to join them, but a fierce fire in his eyes showed that he would not go quietly into this or any night. With a smirk, he gazed down at the young magus and said, “Well? Tell me, what sort of man dares summon the Avenger?”

“I…” Miguel gulped and scrambled to his feet. “I did! Miguel Chavares, mage of the Clock Tower division in New York. Now, tell me, are you Edmond Dantes?”

Avenger let out a hearty laugh, the sound full of condescension. “I am the King of the Cavern, yes.” He strode up to the young magus. “But I am not Edmond. I am the darkness and rage that festers in the soul. The desire to burn all that which has wronged us. Tell me, Clock Tower Mage, why do you think you can control me?”

Shivers ran up and down Miguel’s spine, strong enough to raise goosebumps on his arms. Avenger was just as intimidating as he expected, and there was something about him that made the magus keenly aware of just how willing the Servant would be to kill him. Miguel knew he couldn’t say the wrong thing. Otherwise, he might have to waste a precious Command Spell before the War even began.

“I never thought I could control you,” Miguel managed to say through the fear. “I need your help to enact my own vengeance. I couldn’t care less what you do beyond that.”

For a moment, the young magus saw Avenger’s face soften. It was a flash of surprise and, perhaps, sorrow that lasted only a second. Miguel wondered if he’d actually seen it, as the Servant’s smirk was back by the next blink.

“Interesting,” Avenger trailed off, padding around the storage room Miguel summoned him in. “You’ll have to tell me more. It’s not often I meet one whose heart is gripped by the same anger that twisted me into a monster.” Whirling around, the Servant chuckled. “I think I will serve you. At least, for now.”

Miguel let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His hunch was correct; Dantes was amenable to the magus’s goal. “Good,” he said, unable to keep the relief out of his voice. “That’s all I need.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Manaka smiled as she wiped the ceremonial knife clean. It wouldn’t do to let blood stain the blade. Not that she minded a blood-stained knife, just not one stained with her sister’s blood. Stepping over Ayaka’s unmoving body, Manaka grabbed a large brush and dipped it in the growing pool of red liquid. It was far more than the blonde-haired girl needed - her father alone had more in his veins than necessary - but she liked to be thorough.

That, and she was simply tired of Ayaka trying to steal her place.

The younger Sayjou girl had asked again and again if there was any way she could help Manaka.  _ Such a blatant attempt to take my Prince from me, _ the blonde girl thought as she drew the summoning circle on the hardwood floor of her study.  _ I don’t require any assistance. _

With each stroke of crimson, the circle took shape. As soon as it was complete, Manaka spoke the words of summoning. It was all so simple. So precise. After all, she couldn’t leave her Prince waiting.

In an overwhelming flash of light, the Heroic Spirit manifested. His armor was black as pitch, and for a moment, the blonde girl wondered why the Grail would fail to bring her the King of Knights. That thought flew from her mind as the Servant lowered his hood, revealing a head of pale, blonde hair and equally golden eyes. Not even such dark armor could conceal his identity from Manaka. After all, she’d spent years dreaming of this moment, days researching the perfect Servant.

The blonde girl clasped her hands before her, a delighted smile spreading across her lips. “My Prince,” she said, tears nearly welling up in her eyes. “How I’ve longed to see you…”

The Dark Saber inclined his head, stoic as the statues dotting the Sayjou estate. “I have arrived at your summons, my master,” he stated. “As a Saber-class Servant, I shall be your blade.” He paused for a fraction of a second, gazing at his hand as if he’d never seen it before, then added, “It seems this vessel was corrupted. My apologies.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for.” Manaka practically skipped across the bloody floor and threw her arms around Dark Saber. “You are the Prince I’ve dreamed of. My Prince. Nothing in this world could make you less than perfect.”

The dark-armored Servant stiffened at the contact but did nothing to push her away.

“You will win the Grail for me,” Manaka continued as if nothing were wrong. “Then nothing will separate us ever again.”

Dark Saber was quiet for a long time, but the blonde girl merely dismissed it as a silence born of joy. When he finally spoke again, he merely said, “As you wish… Master.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've actually had this chapter written for quite some time, but I kept waffling on whether or not to post it. I hope you all enjoy this deviation from the main story; I may post more interludes from time to time if I get stuck in a rut.
> 
> Also, this is turning into much more of an ensemble cast fic the more I work on it, so the focus is kind of shifting away from Jekyll and Tatsumi. But that's still gonna be a big part of the Grand Melee!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and critiques are greatly appreciated, as always!
> 
> Also, as of writing this chapter, I've only determined who 28 of the 30 Servants will be, with the last spots being for an Assassin and a Rider. If y'all have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I'm especially interested in Servant ideas who haven't appeared in canon yet.


End file.
